The Mouri Detective Boys
by T.W.Kidd
Summary: 20 years later, Ayumi, Genta, and Mitsuhiko are all grown-up and working for the Mouri Detective Agency, First Case: The Case of the Missing Name! Second case: The Beika Vampire!
1. Chapter 1

A woman sat alone in the police locker room. She was sitting, her elbows on her knees, eyes closed. It had been a long day. Her body was sore but more than that, she was tired. Down, deep into her bones she was tired. She felt as if she could lay down and sleep for the rest of her life and she would still be tired. She ran her hands through her hair. She wore it in the same short bob she'd worn since childhood, much to her mother's chagrin.

 _"_ _You'd be so pretty if you grew it long!" Her mother insisted._

 _"_ _Mama, it's much easier for work to keep it short!" She'd argue._

The woman smiled to herself. They were both right, of course. She stood and stretched, trying to loosen her stiff muscles. She had to meet her sparring partner in the gym in about twenty minutes. She dug her gym clothes out of her locker and quickly stepped into them.

"Ayumi-san! Ayumi-san!" Some called for her from the door. She stood, and looked around. One of her fellow officers appeared from behind the lockers. It was an officer new from the academy that Ayumi had been trying train. She looked so young. Ayumi was only thirty but she felt much older, lately.

"There you are Ayumi-san." The young woman said. "I was wondering if you'd want to go get drinks with me and some of the other girls tonight."

Ayumi leaned against the open door of her locker and smiled politely. "Not tonight, I think. I'm supposed to meet a friend in the gym soon. Then I have dinner plans."

"Ohhh, dinner plans?" The young woman winked.

"Not like that!" Ayumi blushed "I'm meeting with Mouri Kogoro."

"Mouri…That name is familiar. Wasn't he some private eye a long time ago?"

"Mouri Kogoro is one of the greatest detectives of all time!" Ayumi argued.

"Maybe twenty-five years ago!" The woman teased "Why meet with a dirty old man like that? Come out with us!"

"Maybe another time." Ayumi told her and shut her locker. She bid the woman good-bye and hurried to the gym.

"Ah! Ayumi! You're late!" A boisterous voice greeted her in the near empty facility. A tall barrel-chested man was waving at her. She smiled and waved back. He was imposing and powerful, already sweating from him warm up, holding a jump rope in one hand. Ayumi dropped her duffle bag and went to him.

"Sorry, Genta. I got caught up." She said. He patted her roughly on the back and laughed.

"Well you better hurry up; I've got us in the ring in twenty minutes." He told her. She nodded and pulled a jump rope from the nearby rack. Genta and Ayumi had worked together at the police department for the last ten years. While Ayumi became an inspector early in her career, Genta preferred being a patrol officer. They didn't always train together but they each spent at least an hour in the gym every day.

Ayumi had become enamored with becoming an inspector since childhood. Her mother blamed her old friend Edogawa Conan and their childish 'Detective Boys' club for being such a bad influence and leading her down such unladylike paths but the same tenacity and bravery that had lead Ayumi her whole life is more likely responsible.

When she was ten years old, she began to train in Lacrosse and karate to hone her strength, in piano to sharpen her mind and devoured any newspaper articles on Mouri Kogoro, Kudo Shininchi, and even Heiji Hittori. She would cut them and paste them into a scrapbook. Everyone thought it was just a cute hobby except her two best friends, Genta and Mitsuhiko.

A bell rang out, signaling the boxers in the ring were finished and it was now time for Genta and Ayumi to take their turn. Genta, never as studious as Ayumi, had found he excelled in boxing and took to the sport in high school. Ayumi was no match for him in the ring but the exercise was good for her. He never admitted to her that he often held back when he fought her, so that she would not be defeated too badly. She politely pretended not to notice his kindness.

"I don't think you're ready for me this time, Genta. I've been practicing." She teased, strapping the heavy boxing gloves to her hands.

"Is that so? You're still no match for the great and powerful Genta!" He lifted his gloves, flexing impressively. Ayumi giggled and prodded him in the stomach, making him drop the confident stance.

"Alright, that's enough of that!" She chided his pride. He blushed slightly and they set themselves for the match.

Genta had trailed along behind Ayumi as she became interested in the deductive arts, more out of puppy love than anything. Yet, when 'The Detective Boys' became 'The Detective Club' in high school, he began to study criminal justice and easily decided that being a police officer would fulfill his need for action and excitement. He tried hard to imitate her cold and quiet deductions but never fully succeeded. He was good police officer and well decorated for his services but he had no desire to become an inspector.

After a few rounds, the two old friends climbed breathlessly out of the ring. Ayumi was bleeding from a small cut under her eye and Genta was nursing a swollen lip. They shed their boxing gear and cleaned their faces. Ayumi checked the time.

"We still have time before we have to meet Mitsuhiko, want to take a few miles around the track?" She asked. Genta groaned.

"I hate running." He whined but, as always, he followed Ayumi. They stretched and began to jog side by side around the track. The sun was quickly falling, painting the sky in vibrant red and orange. The two moved in circles around the track until the sun finally sank behind the horizon and made them only two dark shadows against the night.

"It's getting late." Ayumi huffed. "We'd better get cleaned up and head out."

"Ugh! Finally!" Genta halted, dropped his hands on his knees, breathing hard. "I really, really hate running." Ayumi patted him bracingly on the back and they headed back into the facility where they separated into their respective locker rooms.


	2. Chapter 2

When they emerged, clean and dressed, the gym was empty. This was not unusual. It was already nearly seven at night and most officers were home with their families and loved ones. Ayumi inspected her face in the rearview mirror. She'd pasted a small band aid over the cut on her cheek and applied a cool washcloth to deal with the swelling. She could already hear her mother's admonitions. Hopefully it would be fully healed before they saw each other.

"Mitsuhiko will be waiting for us." She said, straightening.

"We'd better get going." Genta said and they climbed into their personal cars.

Mitsuhiko was indeed already waiting for them at the small coffee shop near Mouri's Detective Agency. He was sipping weak coffee and leafing through some paperwork. He wore a neatly pressed grey suit and red tie. Unlike the fellow Detective Boys, he'd never entered the police force. Though he was always a part of their detective games, and he'd enjoyed them, it was not a dream he shared. What he did share was their desire to pursue justice and order.

Mitsuhiko had idolized Mouri Kogoro's cool deductions as "Sleeping Kogoro" more than anything. He'd even studied Judo like Kogoro. He knew that brute strength, like Genta had, or even masterful deductions, like Ayumi's, would only carry a criminal case so far. It took more than that to keep criminals off the street for good. Mitsuhiko had become a lawyer.

"Mitsuhiko!" called a familiar feminine voice. He looked up and saw Ayumi and Genta walking toward him. He carefully shuffled the paperwork back into a large manila envelope and finished his coffee. They waited for him to pay his bill and they exited the store together.

"I saw you were in the paper again, _bengoshi_." Genta teased, adding the title mockingly. He'd always picked on Mitsuhiko for being a bookworm as children and, even now, couldn't resist doing so.

"Was I?" He replied. "I don't read the paper much anymore."

"It said something about you prosecuting a ring of drug smugglers?" Ayumi prompted. Mitsuhiko shrugged, blushing slightly.

"Sounds familiar." He said abashedly. Genta narrowed his eyes.

"It also said something about you chasing down one of the guys and tossing him into the river? How many times have I told you to leave that kind of work to us?" He said.

"It's dangerous for you to go around chasing criminals, Mitsuhiko." Ayumi agreed. He sighed and nodded contritely. They stepped onto the familiar sidewalk of their childhood hijinks. The same painted windows proclaimed "Mouri Detective Agency" though the lights were off for the night. The third floor apartment lights shone brightly down at them. They smiled warmly, remembering many afternoons tagging along behind Mouri Kogoro on his cases and, even after Conan moved away, visiting Ran and, eventually, Shinichi, too.

"We're a little early." Mitsuhiko said, looking at his watch.

"I'm sure they won't mind." Ayumi said.

"Yeah, I'm starving!" Genta added and opened the door for his friends. They trudged up the staircase together, chatting idly amongst themselves. Ayumi reached the apartment door and knocked gently. She was greeted by Kogoro.

"Oh, Ran, the brats are here again!" He called over his shoulder. Ayumi smiled. He was the same cantankerous old man he'd always been. Time had done nothing to tame his temper. He was in his sixties now, his once slick black hair turned salt and pepper. He still wore that silly out of style moustache though it had turned white almost a decade ago. He still wore a suit every day though he'd retired from detective work. He was a man of habit.

He'd retired from taking cases after bringing down a large multifaceted crime syndicate, known as The Black Organization. Shortly after this, Shinichi reappeared and began to work for the Mouri Detective Agency, alongside Ran. Eventually they married, the business was left under Ran's control and they were able to make a comfortable living.

"Don't call them that, Otosan!" She said. He stepped aside and they all entered happily. Ran was setting dishes on the table. Shinichi was lounging on the sofa, drinking a soft drink. He was forty now, lines appearing on his face and hair turning grey at the temples. He found himself more and more exhausted at the end of each case. He still loved the job and he was as sharp as ever but it had taken its toll on his body.

The Detective Boys were never told where their friend Conan had gone after he "moved away" and he faded into memory, like so many childhood friends often did. Yet, his time spent as a child had changed Shinichi. He encouraged the kids and tried to listen to them, as he was so often ignored. Ran knew the whole of his secrets, and after much groveling, had forgiven him for his deceit and never revealed them to her father or to the children. They agreed it was better for Conan to just disappear.

"Ah! Shinichi-san!" Genta said "I've spotted you lurking around the office lately. I'll bet it's that new assistant inspector asking for your help, isn't it?"

"Ah, that man couldn't solve a case if a confession fell into his lap!" Shinichi laughed "He'd be out of a job if it weren't for me."

"Ugh! That insufferable man!" Ayumi growled "He'd never have made assistant inspector if he's father didn't work for the bureau of police!"

"There's a rising problem with nepotism in the police force," Mitsuhiko agreed.

"Back in my day, an officer had to work his way up." Kogoro said, lighting a cigarette and they all sat together on the couch. "No one ever got promoted into a position they didn't sweat for!"

"That explains why you never got promoted, _anata_." Eri appeared from the kitchen, carrying a tray of coffee cups. Kogoro scowled at his wife. After the dangerous events unfolded with The Black Organization, the two stubborn spouses had finally agreed to live together again. Their bickering had never ceased, though those close to them could see that Kogoro flirted much less. Stuck in their ways as they were, they were much happier together.

"Ayumi-chan, you're a full inspector aren't you?" Eri asked. Ayumi nodded.

"I was promoted a few years ago." She said. They each took a cup of coffee as Eri sat down next to Kogoro, who was pouting over her comment. She had given up dying her hair and wore her grey tresses with grace. Today they were tied back into a neat braid for the occasion.

"And Mitsuhiko-kun, I see you've been taking on some big cases. Makes me long for my days in the courtroom." Eri said.

"Ah, I take whatever comes across my desk." He said bashfully.

"It's been so exciting, watching you all grow up." Ran said "Why don't we sit down and eat? Mom and I have been working hard all afternoon!"

"You can tell what Eri-san cooked because it's the dishes that are burned." Genta whispered to Mitsuhiko and the two of them giggled conspiratorially.


	3. Chapter 3

They ate and drank jovially, remembering old times together. Kogoro drank too much beer and insulted Eri. The argued over dessert much to the hidden amusement of their guests. Eventually, Ran settled them down as she always did. Coffee was made, despite the late hour and they gathered together in the warmth of the living room. Ayumi laughed along with the others, sharing stories and memories but could not shake her feeling of weariness.

"So tell me, Mitsuhiko, I read about the drug smuggling case but what about the one that you tried last month? The papers didn't say much other than a small paragraph that you were involved and were victorious. None of my old contacts know about it either. Just between us, what sort of case was such a big secret?"

The three friends suddenly became silent, glancing at each other. Ayumi gripped her coffee cup until her knuckles were white.

"Well…It was…You see…." Mitsuhiko stuttered. Ayumi slammed her coffee cup down passionately.

"Mitsuhiko convicted a police officer that was caught taking bribes from criminals!" She said loudly, more loudly than she had meant to. "He'd been at it for five years before his partner finally got the backbone to turn him in! He'd gotten millions of yen, and hired the best lawyers to keep prolonging the court date hoping Mitsuhiko would give up or give him a lighter sentence in order to end to trial."

"Unluckily for him, I never did. He was finally prosecuted to the full extent of the law." Mitsuhiko said, taking a small drink of his coffee. Eri knew, like Mitsuhiko, that his charges brought him less than five years in prison. With good behavior, he'd probably be out in three years.

"A crooked cop," Ran said, "How sad."

"He's the third one from Tokyo since the new year." Genta said, nodding "We don't think that's the last of them, either."

Ayumi was embarrassed by her outburst. She rubbed her eyes and let out a low sigh. It had been a long year, true, but it wasn't anything new to her or to the department. It seemed like every other day she was reporting officers for bad conduct. Bribes, bullying, planting or stealing evidence, brutality… Everywhere she looked was more corruption. It had worn her down. She'd been so hopeful once, so excited to see justice and truth prevail but it seemed like that was just a childish dream.

"Damn shame," Kogoro said, lighting a cigarette. Ayumi smiled, the nostalgic smell of his cigarettes bringing her comfort. He had promised Eri he'd cut down on the cigarettes when she moved home but he had never quit. Ayumi brushed her hair behind her ear.

"It's partially what brings us here tonight, right boys?" She said, looking at Shinichi and Kogoro. Genta and Mitsuhiko nodded.

"Oh really, why's that?" Shinichi asked.

"We've all thought about it extensively and discussed it at length," Mitsuhiko said, crossing his arms as he often did when presenting himself in court "Shinichi-san is now heading the famous Moore Detective Agency all alone, greatly reducing the number of cases he can take on at once."

"Right," added Genta "Not to mention that the reputation of the agency has only grown in the last fifteen years, making your services more and more valuable."

"So, we propose that you add some new employees to the Mouri Detective agency. Three employees, to be exact." Ayumi said. Shinichi straightened his face pale.

"You-You don't mean-" He stuttered.

"We would like to formally request employment at the renowned Mouri Detective agency." Ayumi said grinning. The three bowed low to Shinichi's surprise. The looked up when they heard Kogoro's laugh.

"It's about time you were overthrown _tentei-boza_!" He said, slapping his knee "I was about your age when some cocky no-good detective started stepping on my toes!"

"Who're you calling no-good, old man?" Shinichi said scowling at him.

"I think it's a great idea!" Ran interrupted the two quarreling men. "Shinichi, you're always complaining you don't like taking on so many cases at once. If they helped out, you could devote more time to each case."

"I do just fine!" Shinichi said stubbornly "Look, guys, I appreciate the thought but…"

"Well, why not?" Genta demanded.

"For one, I wouldn't be able to pay you guys." Shinichi said "Famous or not, Detective work isn't exactly a cash cow."

"We'd take payments from clients, the same as you do. Even if we took simple cases to build a reputation at first, more employees ultimately means more clients and more income." Mitsuhiko argued. He'd been prepared for Shinichi to refuse them "Expansion is business practice 101."

"Very well, put, Mitsuhiko." Eri said "I agree with Ran. You both are getting older and it would be a wonderful legacy for our family to keep the Mouri Detective Agency open after you retire, Shinichi."

"Retire! I've got at least twenty more years in me!" He argued.

"Just enough time for us to build a reputation." Ayumi added. "If we get started right away."

"That's not what I meant, exactly…" Shinichi protested weakly but he felt himself being over turned. He looked between the expectant face of his young friends and the accusatory look of his wife. She crossed her arms.

"If I remember correctly, The Mouri Detective Agency is in my name, so I have the right to hire whomever I wish!" Ran told him. He hung his head. She was right, of course. Kogoro and Eri had made sure of that before they were ever allowed to marry. Shinichi had agreed at the time but was regretting it now. He'd only ever agreed to work within the agency rather than as an independent detective because it pleased Ran.

 _"_ _Think about it!" She had begged him "Two world-renown detectives working at once agency. You'll guys will have so much business that you'll be sick of it!"_

Once again, he found himself swayed by Ran's determination. He sighed heavily and looked at the three friends. Even though they were adults, he struggled to not see them as children. Even now, he felt as if they were too young, too innocent to be detectives.

"I can agree to a trial case!" He said "That's all. This work isn't just for anyone."

"Really? Thank you Shinichi-san!" Ayumi grinned, her heart fluttering.

"We've been doing this since we were kids," Genta added "Don't worry about us!"

"The usurping of Kudo Shinichi!" Kogoro laughed "This is a reason to celebrate! Eri, bring out some wine! We'll toast this new generation of Detective Brats!"

Eri smiled and, with Ran's help, disappeared into the kitchen. The three newly minted private detectives talked excitedly amongst themselves. Kogoro glanced at the plainly unhappy Shinichi and felt a certain amount of amusement. He pushed Shinichi playfully on the arm.

"How's it feel, huh? Some young know-it-alls trying to upstage you." He teased. Shinichi managed a smile.

"Not great, but maybe Ran is right." He admitted quietly "Maybe it's time I slowed down. It couldn't hurt to give them a chance."

Ran and Eri reappeared with the wine and they toasted to their new adventures.


	4. The Case of The Missing Name

Character List:

Kataoka Isamu – Client

Adachi Niou – Missing Person

* * *

Ayumi and Ran took to the task of finding space in the office for the three of them. They worked for a few days, organizing files and furniture until they were at last able to squeeze three small desks alongside Shinichi's, formerly Kogoro's, work desk. They were little more than school desks but they would work for now. Ayumi, her hair tied back in a handkerchief, lovingly polished the marred wood of the second-hand desktops. She felt like she was walking on air. She had butterflies again, like when she was a new officer.

"Ayumi-chan!" Ran called from the kitchen "Why don't we take a break. I am exhausted. We can finish up after lunch."

Ayumi straightened, inspecting her work. Ran was right, Ayumi was sweating and her hands were tired from scrubbing and washing. The sun was streaming in through the wide windows, casting the shadow of "Mouri" in reverse on the carpet. Ran emerged carrying cold drinks and offered one to Ayumi.

"Ah! Thanks Ran!" She said and they sat together on the couch. Just as they had settled, they heard footsteps and voices on the stairs. Mitsuhiko and Genta appeared, carrying several boxes from a takeout restaurant.

"Ran-san! Ayumi! We thought you might like to have lunch with us!" Mitsuhiko said, offering the plastic boxes. He had traded his usual suit for a much more casual t shirt and jeans. Genta, however, was in his police uniform. He was still on duty for another week before his resignation was complete.

"How thoughtful." Ran said, taking the boxes and laying them on the coffee table. The boys took seats opposite Ran and Ayumi.

"Where is Shinichi?" Genta asked.

"Sulking somewhere. He's still not sure that you three should be allowed into the Agency. ' _Meitentei_ Kudo' doesn't think he needs the help." Ran told them. The three exchanged nervous glances as Ran began to eat.

"He'll see." Ayumi said determinedly. The boys nodded and they all began to eat.

As they were finishing, Ayumi had begun to clear away the table when a faint knock come from the door to the office.

"I'll get it," Genta said and lumbered towards to door.

"Is this the Mouri Detective Agency?" A man asked, his voice quiet and distant. Genta told him it was and invited him in. Mitsuhiko signaled to Ayumi and they sat on one of the sofas, opposite Genta and the stranger. Ran, though out of sight, listened intently from the kitchen doorway.

The man was disheveled. His hair was un combed and his suit jacket wasn't buttoned. He had a small protruding belly and jowly cheeks. He ran his hands through his hair. Ayumi judged him to be in his forties at the latest but worse for the wear of life.

"I-uh, I got the right place?" He asked, looking between them.

"You do. What's on your mind?" Ayumi asked.

"That's what I'd like you to find out. My name is Kataoka Isamu. I'm retired. You understand? I live in town with my wife. But…You gotta help me. I'll pay you ¥50,000 a day to help me. I want you to find someone for me."

"Now, just calm down." Mitsuhiko said soothingly. "Tell us who you want us to find. And why."

"Listen to me. Listen to me!" He said frantically "The last few weeks a name keeps ringing in my head. I dream about it. 'Adachi Niou' over and over. 'Adachi Niou' I can't stop thinking about it."

"Maybe you read it somewhere. Or saw it on television." Genta suggested.

"I don't know where I picked it up. But I can't stop thinking about it." He said "You gotta do something about it. You gotta find this guy. Find out what's going on. I know he lives here in town, I just know it. But, I've checked the phone book and I asked around but nothing…nothing."

"Do you have any other information?" Ayumi asked. Kataoka shook his head.

"The story seems a little far-fetched." Mitsuhiko said "You want us to find a man you have no information about, who you're positive lives within the city but isn't listed in any records? It reeks of a prank to me."

"I brought the money along. Will ¥100,000 convince you?" Kataoka removed an evelope from his pocket and handed it Genta. He opened it and saw that was stacked with the promised money. He handed it to Ayumi. All of them exchanged glances. Their suspicions were high but the what sort of prankster would spend this money on a joke?

"If that's the case," Ayumi decided "I think we should take the case."

"Thank you! Thank you! But listen, take my private cell number. My wife isn't to know anything about it." Kataoka scribbled his number onto a piece of scrap paper.

"Why's that?" Mitsuhiko asked, taking the paper.

"She…She thinks I'm crazy. I think she hates me. She tells me to give up this whole deal and not think about it anymore." He said sadly.

"We'll do what we can, Kataoka-san." Genta said. "We'll get started right away and let you know if we find anything." The man thanked them profusely and Genta lead him to the door. The three looked at the envelope in Ayumi's hands. ¥100,000 was absolutely nothing to sneer at. Ran reappeared, ecstatic.

"I heard everything!" She said "Congratulations!"

"Shouldn't we check with Shinichi first?" Mitsuhiko asked "He may have something to say about this."

"Oh, shut it _, Bengoshi_!" Genta said, the title dripping with irony. "He said he would let us take a trial case so why not this one?"

"I agree with Genta!" Ayumi said "I think we should get to work right away and tell Shinichi about it once we have it solved."

"As always, the brain is out voted by the brawn…" Mitsuhiko sighed. Ayumi and Genta paid him little mind.

"Where should we start?" Ayumi said.

"I have to get back to my patrol," Genta said "But I think you and _bengoshi_ over there should start asking questions about this Adachi Niou. Someone has to know who he is."

"And don't worry about Shinichi," Ran added "I'll take care of him. You guys get straight to work. I'm so excited for you!"


	5. The Case of The Missing Name Pt 2

Character List:

Kataoka Isamu – Client

Adachi Niou – Missing Person

Ueki Basho – Male Person of Interest

* * *

"You let them do what!?" Shinichi demanded upon hearing that the new minted detectives had taken a client. He and Ran were sitting down for dinner. They lived now in the apartment above the agency just like her father had. Shinichi had been gone most of the day on his own case and Ran hadn't been able to tell him the news until now.

"Aren't you the one who always says that a missing person case is the easiest kind?" She challenged "Besides, they have to start sometime. Why not now?"

"But the story is so suspicious." Shinichi said "They may be getting in over their heads. What if something goes wrong?"

"You need to have more faith in them. Ayumi-chan and Genta-kun are both police officers and Mitsuhiko-kun can definitely take care of himself. The three of them are just as capable as you are." Ran said stubbornly. She pushed her food around her bowl for a minute while Shinichi grumbled to himself. She smiled.

To her, he was still the high school boy she fell in love with. The arrogant football star with his nose in a detective novel and his ego two feet above his head. He was still eighteen in her eyes. He poked idly at his food, refused to look at her. She knew that she had won the argument. So did he, but he wouldn't admit it. He felt a knot of worry begin to grow in his stomach. He thought of all the things that could go wrong on a case. When they were children, he was always near enough to keep them safe. He made sure of it. Now who would protect them?

* * *

The next morning Ayumi arrived at the agency just as day broke. The sun, not yet crested over the tall buildings, made the morning gray and cool. She walked alone down the sidewalk. She had been up most of the night, searching records and papers, anything for a trace of the name Adachi. She'd gotten only the weakest lead. She hoped maybe the boys had something more solid. She quickly trotted up the stairs to the office and found Mitsuhiko already inside. He was bent low over his desk, shuffling through some papers in front of him, dressed in a deep emerald suit that she'd seen him wear to court before.

"Ah! Ever the early bird." Ayumi said, making him look up. He smiled at her. As she kicked off her street shoes she asked "Have you found anything?" He nodded and indicated the papers he had been looking at.

"I put out a few feelers. Turns out a woman named Orio Rena is also looking for a man named Adachi Nio. She has been inquiring about him at the public record office, according to one of my friends there. Says she comes by every few weeks to see if he's turned up. I'm supposed to meet her in an hour. You?"

"I found a man named Ueki Basho." Ayumi reported "One of my old informants says he used to work with a man named Adachi. He lives in a motel nearby. It's not much but it's something."

"Where's Genta?" Mitsuhiko asked.

"Still working the robbery case at the department. He wants to finish it up before he leaves the force." She answered.

"When are you going to meet with Ueki? Should I come alone?" Mitsuhiko asked.

"I think I ought to go alone. We might spook him off, otherwise." She answered. "Keep your meeting with Orio. We'll meet back here around six tonight to debrief." Mitsuhiko pursed his lips. He didn't like the idea of Ayumi going alone. She noticed the gesture and decided not to comment on it.

"You're talking like a cop." He said haughtily.

"You know what they say about old habits." She winked at him and laughed.

* * *

The motel that Ueki lived at was a rundown slum in a rundown part of town. As Ayumi approached the parking lot, she noticed the smell of sewage and garbage. She'd been to this part of town before on assignment. She's actually been to this exact motel before. It was a breeding ground of criminal activity. The sort of motel that would lend rooms by the hour. However, when she'd come before, she'd had a uniform, a Kevlar vest, and a gun. Now she had only herself and it was frightening. Nonetheless, she squared her shoulders and walked authoritatively into the main reception office. The door handle was greasy. She inquired as to which room she might find Ueki and the front clerk disinterestedly indicated the room at the end of the corridor.

The walls were thin, making for a constant muffled noise of televisions and voices. Privacy was an expensive commodity. The carpet smelled musty and felt gritty under her feet. She found the room and knocked. The door pulled open part way. The man it revealed was glaring, his eyes red with hangover. He was overweight and smelled as musty as the carpet. He was several inches taller than Ayumi.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

"My name is Ayumi. I'm-"

"What do you want?" He grunted.  
"I'm looking for a man named Adachi."

Ueki looked her up and down. From behind the door he produced a small handgun and moved it purposely to his waistband.

"Why don't you come in?" He said. Ayumi had seen many guns before, had them pointed at her, fired at her. Whatever intimidation he was hoping for fell flat.

"I guess I can't refuse." She said coldly.

"That's what most people say to me." He chuckled darkly. "Sit down, or you'll make me nervous."

Inside the small room were two chairs, a discolored bed (unmade) and a table wobbling on three legs and a phone book. Ayumi stepped through and took a seat, facing Ueki.

"What do you know about Adachi?" He asked. His right hand rested on the butt of the gun. Ayumi waved her hand dismissively.

"As far as I knew, he was a figment of a man's imagination. You seem to have a different idea." She said. She played cold and uninterested. She tracked his every move, every twitch.

"Let's say he owes me some money." Ueki said shrewdly.

"Why don't you wave that toy at him instead of me, then?" She asked.

"Can't find him. You got a lead on Adachi?"

"I'm looking at it." She replied. Ueki growled and moved to strike her but Ayumi was faster. She grabbed his wrist in her right hand. In a split second, she had rotated his arm painfully, and used her right elbow against his chest to knock him to the ground. He yelped out of surprise and pain. Ayumi stood over him.

"That's not very polite." She said. "I think we're done here." She stalked out of the motel room, leaving him winded on the ground. She slammed the door behind her and quickly retreated to the car. She didn't want to be nearby when he got back up.


	6. The Case of The Missing Name Pt 3

Character List:

Kataoka Isamu – Client

Katakoka Naomi – Client's Wife

Adachi Niou – Missing Person

Ueki Basho – Male Person of Interest

Orio Rena – Female Person of Interest

* * *

When Ayumi returned to the office, Mitsuhiko was still there and Genta had arrived, once again dressed in his uniform. The two men were sitting together, looking through the morning paper. It was still before noon.

"You're back early." Mitsuhiko said, looking at Ayumi "Did you learn anything?"

"I learned that Adachi Niou is real and in bad company." She said and recounted her adventure at the motel. The two men listened intently.

"You went there unarmed and without back up!?" Genta demanded upon hearing that Ayumi was forced to bring down Ueki. "Even taking _bengoshi_ here would have been better than that." Mitsuhiko nodded in agreement.

"I was fine, don't get all worked up." She said dismissively. "What I don't get is Ueki's reaction. He was desperate to get information on Adachi. If they had worked together, why wouldn't he know his partner's whereabouts? It doesn't make any sense."

"I still have my meeting with Orio, want to tag along? Maybe we'll learn something from her." Mitsuhiko said. Ayumi sighed and agreed.

"What about you Genta?" She asked.

"I'm off duty now, so I can stay here and try to chase down anyone else who might know this Adachi character." He offered.

"Well, we'd better get going. We're meeting Orio across town." Mitsuhiko said. They bid each other good bye. Through the windows, Genta watched his two friends hail a taxi. Mitsuhiko waved Ayumi in before himself and closed the door. Genta laughed to himself. Always the perfect gentleman, that one. He watched the cab pull into traffic and disappear into the flood of cars on the street.

Genta had hoped Ayumi wouldn't be so reckless. It was in her nature to go charging into situations, trusting her brain and her reflexes to get her out again. It had gotten her landed in the hospital more than once already. No matter how many times Genta warned her that one day she might not be so lucky, she never showed an ounce of fear. He inspected his reflection in the window, the heavy starched uniform becoming uncomfortable now. His work at the department was coming to a close and he wouldn't have to wear this again. He was equally relieved and disappointed. He truly did enjoy being a police officer.

However, what Mitsuhiko said about nepotism in the department was right. He'd seen more and more unqualified men and women becoming officers and captains than ever before. There was a seed of discontent among the officers turning what had once been tight knit teams and collaborators against each other. It was difficult to play by the book anymore. Genta had watched repeat offenders waltz out of jail cells because of corruption and sloppy police work.

When Ayumi approached him with the idea of becoming a private detective, he initially rejected the idea. What good could come from stalking adulterous spouses and snaking out insurance fraud?

 _"_ _You know that's not all it is," Ayumi had told him. "Shinichi helped the department solve a double homicide last month! You know the assistant inspector wouldn't have found the culprit without him."_

 _"_ _The assistant inspector can't find a cloud on a stormy day." Genta grunted. He was aware of how mishandled the case had been. So did the newspapers. If it hadn't been for Shinichi, it probably would have gone cold for good._

 _"_ _Just think about it, Genta. We could be actually be helping people again."_

Genta changed out of his uniform. Unlike Mitsuhiko, he couldn't stand to wear a suit if he didn't have to. He wore a plain polo shirt and khaki pants. He set to work trying to find any public information on Ueki and ties he might have to Adachi. He found plenty of criminal records but none of them mentioned Adachi by name. So far the only information they had was Katakoka Isamu was willing to pay a lot to find the source of a name he'd been hearing in his dreams. While Ueki confirmed that a man with the name Adachi did in fact exist, they had no reason to suspect either of them were connected to Katakoka at all.

He'd been working steadily for nearly an hour when the bell rang. He opened the door.

A woman with sleek black hair falling in curled cascades over her shoulders waited for him. She wore a tan business suit, darted in at the waist, and heavy expensive make-up. She looked up at him through her lashes and Genta invited her in. She swayed passed him to the consultation sofa.

"Good afternoon." She said. "I'm Katakoka Naomi, Isamu's wife."

"You should be someone's wife. It cuts down on the risk." Genta said, offering her a charming smile as he sat down. He found that a shameless flirt never hurt his work.

"I'd like to talk to you about something. Offer me a drink, won't you?" She said. Genta acquiesced, fishing two bottles of lemonade from the kitchen. She took the bottle from him, thanking him softly. Her fingers trailed across his as she took the bottle.

"What's on your mind?" Genta asked.

"I have a problem. My husband. He tries but he can't hide much from me. My husband saw you yesterday and I'm sure he told a wild story. I want you to drop the whole thing."

" _Oku-san_ , your husband has already paid an advance." Genta pointed out "He's very serious about the case he brought to us."

"Alright, I'll be blunt. You don't understand. My husband is a sick man."

"He has nightmares," Genta supplied.

"He has a…large imagination and it's been getting worse. He dreams up things. I… I sometimes think he's crazy." She went on "There is no such man as Adachi Niou. It's a recurring delusion he has. He's been having it for two years, ever since we were in a car wreck. The wreck caused some brain damage and the result is this hallucination about some person named Adachi."

"If that's so, there's man named Ueki who'll be very disappointed." He said. She gasped.

"W-Who?" She asked.

"Ueki Basho. Claims to be an old friend of this Adachi. You know him?" Genta asked.

"…No. No, I don't." She said. Genta easily saw through her lie. She went on "Alright. I'll double whatever my husband has paid you to drop the case. How much?"

"Now, now _Oku-san_ , be reasonable. Your husband has already paid us ¥100,000 and promised ¥50,000 per day." Genta said. The woman reached into her purse and pursued a stack of fresh ¥10,000 notes. She counted twenty-five of them onto the table.

"Is that enough to convince you, _tentei-san_?" She said.

"You're twisting my arm, _oku-san_." He said. She grinned again and stood up.

"Then I understand that we have an agreement." She said. Genta crossed his arms and shook his head.

"There are two other detectives on this case and I have to wait for them before I can agree to drop this case. If you husband really is mentally ill, I don't see a reason to pursue it." Genta said. He slid the money back towards her. She didn't retrieve it from the table.

"Call it an act of good faith." She said and rose. Genta stood. She moved close to him, laying her hands on either side of her face.

"You seem like a good man, _tantei-san_. I feel like I can absolutely trust you to do the right thing for my poor husband." She said and left the office. Genta took his seat on the sofa, looking at the stack of money left on the table. These people certainly had a lot of cash to throw around behind each other's backs.


	7. The Case of The Missing Name Pt 4

Character List:

Kataoka Isamu – Client

Adachi Niou – Missing Person

Katakoka Naomi – Client's Wife

Orio Rena – Female Person of Interest

Ueki Basho – Male Person of Interest

Kubota Taikan – Police Inspector

* * *

Orio Rena frequented a karaoke bar nearby and had invited Mitsuhiko to meet her there. The place was called "The Jade Palace" and it wasn't a bad spot. After dark, though, it was certain that some dealings went on in the private rooms. He told this all to Ayumi as they drove. Ayumi was familiar with the area but had never been inside.

As they pulled up to the front door, they noticed a park police cruiser.

"Hm? Wonder why they're here?" Mitsuhiko said. Ayumi clenched her fists. She recognized the cruiser number.

"That's Kubota." She growled. "That despicable assistant inspector that's always counting on Shinichi to solve his cases for him."

"I've heard the name." Mitsuhiko said "It's come across my desk a few times while I was trying some criminal cases. I never met the man his reputation among the lawyers is that he's a good source for backdoor information."

"It's a much better reputation than he has among the officers." She said. They stepped from the cab and slipped the driver his payment. As they approached the door of the club, a small grey-faced man approached them. He was dressed in a long dark overcoat with a cloth cap pulled low over this head. As he approached, the smell of cheap cologne and greasy body odor preceded him. He pushed the cap up and looked directly at Ayumi, not acknowledging Mitsuhiko.

"Ayumi-Chan!" He said to her. Ayumi scowled at the childish title.

"Kubota-keibo-ho." She replied coldly.

"It's actually Kubota-Keibu. I'm a full inspector now that you've left the force." He grinned. His teeth were yellowed and badly cared for.

"What? I didn't recommend you as my replacement." She fumed. He chuckled and shrugged condescendingly.

"Anyway, I'm not here to celebrate my promotion. I hear you had a meeting with Ueki Basho this morning." He said. Ayumi nodded but didn't offer any more information. He went on "Well, he's ended up dead and the evidence points to you and I'm here to take you in for questioning."

"What evidence?" She demanded.

"The hotel manager said you went in, he heard an argument and then a gunshot. Now the bum is dead and you look like the murderer." The man took pleasure in revealing his information. He picked rudely at his teeth with his pinky nail.

"That's barely evidence. Did you check the cameras? Dust the room for fingerprints? Did you-" He cut her off.

"Listen, you're not in charge now! Either you can get in the car politely or I can arrest you!" He raised his voice.

"You have no grounds for arrest!" Mitsuhiko said. "You try it and I'll have you on charged before you can get to the station!"

"Hm? And who's this? Your accomplice? Your boyfriend?" Kubota seemed to have just noticed Mitsuhiko. Mitsuhiko blushed.

"That's enough," Ayumi said "I'll go quietly, Kubota-Keibu. Mitsuhiko-san, you and Genta-san finish up this case without me."

"Okay." Was all he answered. Ayumi allowed herself to be placed in the back of the police cruiser and driven away. Mitsuhiko watched, anger rising in his chest. If Ueki Basho was indeed shot dead, this case was more than about a bad dream. It was most likely a case of this Adachi Niou trying to keep himself hidden at any cost. He tracked the cruiser as it drove down the street and then turned to enter the bar.

Mitsuhiko walked in the room, brightly lit with colorful signs. All around, the tables were packed with eager drinkers. He took a seat at the bar and ordered clear water. A woman was on stage singing. She had red hair. She wore a dress held up by one strap and prayer. She sang low and smooth. Men were listening more than politely to her crooning. Mitsuhiko clapped when she finished. She giggled cattishly and descended the stage. She approached Mitsuhiko who, in his pressed suit and clean manners, stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Are you the man who wanted me?" She asked, sliding onto the stool next to his.

"You're Orio-san?" He asked.

"Yeah. What's on your mind handsome?" She leaned toward him. He could smell her perfume, heavy and musky in the air. She touched his arm flirtatiously. He felt a blush creep over his cheeks but continued evenly.

"My name is Mitsuhiko, I want to know about Adachi Niou." He said. Anger flashed over her face and was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"What do you want to know about him?" She asked dangerously.

"Where is he?" Mitsuhiko said. Orio laughed, fanning her long slender fingers over her painted lips.

"Are you a cop or are you willing to pay for the answers?" She asked.

"I'm neither." He answered "I think he murdered Ueki Basho today."

"Humph. Someone should have a long time ago." She pulled a silver cigarette box. She stuck a cigarette in her mouth and lit it. Her hands didn't shake and her face didn't pale. She wasn't surprised to hear that Ueki was dead. Mitsuhiko watched her carefully as she added. "You're betting on the wrong horse though."

"You say that like you know Adachi-san." Mitsuhiko said. Orio nodded.

"That's right. He's my boyfriend. But I haven't seen him lately." She said this casually but Mitsuhiko saw her shoulders tense, saw her grip on her cigarette tighten.

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"Hm. I'll have to check my diary." She grinned. Mitsuhiko scowled.

"Listen here, I'm not here to play games. My friend is being put up for this murder and I don't like it one bit." He said. She shrugged.

"Doesn't sound like my problem." She said.

"If you don't tell me what you know, I can make it your problem. If you know where a suspected murder is, I can have the police haul you in right now or you can tell and I let you go on your way." She sighed and took another drag on her cigarette. Mitsuhiko was bluffing but she didn't seem to notice.

"What I know isn't much. I used to be Adachi's girlfriend but he skipped out on me a few months ago. I heard he was in town and I started looking for him. So did Ueki."

"Why did Ueki-san want him?"

"They had a business deal. Adachi owed Ueki some money, far as I understand."

"What kind of business?"

"I don't remember." She stubbed her cigarette out in the glass ashtray between them.  
"All of a sudden you don't remember?" Mitsuhiko accused.

"I'm shy." She smiled "Let's just say that Adachi disappeared right after."

"Who are you covering for? Adachi-san, Ueki-san or yourself?"

"Look, I love Adachi. I don't want to see anything happen to him. If Ueki took a bullet he deserved it and it wasn't Adachi who pulled the trigger." This was probably the first true thing she had said to him.

"Do you keep a photo of Adachi?"

"Sure I do," She dug her phone out of her purse and tapped it a few times. She handed the screen to Mitsuhiko who inspected the image of a tall handsome man. "Do you know him?"

"No." He handed the phone back.

"I want him back. He's a good man." She tucked the phone away, the façade falling away for just a moment. She did love him, truly. Mitsuhiko continued his questions coldly.

"Your boyfriend is causing nightmares for my client. Does the Kataoka Isamu mean anything to you?"

"No, but you tell him that if he finds Adachi to give me a call." She slipped her business card into Mitsuhiko's breast pocket. She stood from the stool and smoothed her dress over her thighs. "Until then, I've got more important things to do." And walked away, leaving Mitsuhiko sitting alone at the bar.


	8. The Case of The Missing Name Pt 5

Character List:

Kataoka Isamu – Client

Adachi Niou – Missing Person

Katakoka Naomi – Client's Wife

Orio Rena – Female Person of Interest

Ueki Basho – Male Person of Interest/Murder Victim

Kubota Taikan – Police Inspector

* * *

Mitsuhiko returned alone to the Mouri offices. He found Genta and Shinichi at their respective desks. They glanced up at his entrance.

"Where's Ayumi?" Genta asked. Mitsuhiko quickly recounted his afternoon to the astonished looks of the two men.

"They took her to jail!?" Genta asked shouted angrily.

"He's got no real evidence." Shinichi said, calming Genta.

"That's true," Mitsuhiko said gravely "But they can hold her for up to four days while she's under questioning. And I have a feeling that this Kubota-keibu will hold her for as long as he can get away with. I think he knows we're tracking the Adachi case and that it has something to do with Ueki. Of course, Ayumi, as a private detective, is allowed to maintain a certain amount of client confidentiality but that doesn't extend to impeding a murder investigation."

"I think it's much worse than that." Genta told him "Kubota-keibu has had a long standing grudge against Ayumi-chan. I think he's less interested in solving Ueki's murder than he is with being able to put her in prison."

"Of course, we won't let that happen." Mitsuhiko smirked. Genta nodded.

"Then you two better quit standing around and solve this case!" Shinichi interjected. Shinichi felt a knot in his chest. He knew these young pups weren't ready to take on such a complex case. He knew he never should have them out on their own. "What are the facts?"

"Kataoka Isamu approached us and said he'd been dreaming of the name Adachi Niou for some time. We discovered the name in a few records and rumors and contacted Ueki first about it. He confronted Ayumi and was murdered a few hours later." Genta reported.

"I contacted a woman named Orio Rena, who claimed to be Adachi's girlfriend but she hasn't seen him. She claims he and Ueki had a business deal that fell through, with Ueki left owing Adachi a large sum of money." Mitsuhiko said.

"To add to that," Genta pulled a large stack of bills from his desk drawer "Kataoka's wife, Naomi-san, came by here offering ¥250,000 to drop the case, saying that her husband was mentally ill and hallucinating but she recognized Ueki's name. She was very eager that we no longer be involved in the case." He dropped the stack of money onto the coffee table. The three men stood silently, considering the facts to themselves.

"I think it's clear that Orio-san murdered Ueki to draw Adachi out of hiding." Genta said "She would have had ample time to commit the murder. It's only a five minute drive between where he was and where you met with her."

"I disagree; I think Adachi murdered the man in an argument over the money." Mitsuhiko said.

"I think that we should go to the crime scene and gather whatever clues we can from there." Shinichi said, hitting his palm with his fist. His eyes flashed with excitement and interest. "I'll come along. I think you _Shōnen Tantei–dan_ might need a little help from Shinichi-oniisan, just like the old days!"

"More like Shinichi-ojisan, now." Genta whispered loudly to Mitsuhiko. Mitsuhiko stifled a laugh.

"Hey, hey…" Shinichi protested weakly, his shoulders drooping sadly. The three men moved towards the door but before they were able to open it, it burst open and revealed a haggard looking Katatoka Isamu standing before them.

"Katatoka-san, what's wrong?" Mitsuhiko asked. "Come in." They ushered him to the consulting couches. He buried his face in his hands.

"You can't walk out on me. I know my wife was here." He said frantically. His breathing was ragged as if he'd been running. He looked terrified, sweat beading across his forehead and his hands shaking violently.

"I'm in a bad spot, I need help. I think my wife is out to get me. She keeps telling me I'm crazy. She's trying to talk me into it." He said rapidly "She's trying to get me committed. Her and Adachi, they're working together!"

"What makes you think that?" Genta asked. Katatoka produced a piece of paper and handed it to Mitsuhiko.

"Naomi-san," He read aloud "If you want my silence on Adachi, it will cost you ¥1,000,000. Bring it by today or I tell your husband.' That's all it says."

"It's Adachi! I know it!" The man cried out. "They're having an affair. They're planning to elope. They want me locked up. I know it. They're trying to get rid of me. Help me, please."

"Slow down." Shinichi said "We want to help you, but Ueki was murdered today and Yoshida-Tantei is now tangled up in it."

"I can clear her!" He said "If you just help me, I can clear her name."

"How's that? What makes you so sure?" Genta asked. Katatoka reached into his coat and produced a heavy pistol. The men tensed but Mitsuhiko spoke first.

"Are you planning to threaten us, Katatoka-san?" He said.

"You don't understand, I'm not aiming it at you, I'm giving it to you." He said, "This is the gun that killed Ueki!"

"Where you there when it happened?" Genta asked. The other men observed while Genta, trained and practiced in interrogations, questioned the man.

"No…No, but either my wife or Adachi was."

"When did you decide that?"

"An hour ago. I found this in my wife's closet."

Genta dug a pair of latex gloves from his desk drawer before taking the gun to inspect it. He saw that two bullets were missing.

"Why don't you send it to the police?" He asked, laying the weapon on the table.

"I can't! I can't, yet. I don't know if it was Adachi or… Naomi. I gotta bad feeling. You gotta find Adachi or he's gonna kill me!"

"What makes you think that? I thought they were just trying to get you committed?"

Before Katatoka could answer, a sharp buzz of the doorbell rang through the room. His eyes widened. The doorbell buzzed again.

"Who is that? Hide the gun! They're after me!" He shouted frantically. He leapt from the couch. When Shinichi tried to soothe him, he shoved Shinichi to the ground and ran for the door. Shinichi hit the ground with a hard thud. Katatoka was gone. In the door he'd left open appeared Police Inspector Kubota, grinning like a wolf.


	9. The Case of The Missing Name Pt 6

Character List:

Kataoka Isamu – Client

Adachi Niou – Missing Person

Katakoka Naomi – Client's Wife

Orio Rena – Female Person of Interest

Ueki Basho – Male Person of Interest/Murder Victim

Kubota Taikan – Police Inspector

* * *

"Hello, hello…" Inspector Kubota said, stepping uninvited into the offices. "Genta-kun, is that you? I didn't know _this_ is what you were resigning for."

"What can the Mouri detective agency do for you, Kabuta-keibu?" Shinichi asked. He didn't answer but walked over to the coffee table, where the handgun still lay. He stuck a cigarette in his mouth and lit it.

"That's a nice looking piece. Same kind that shot Ueki, isn't it?" He asked, looking pointedly at Genta.

"I wouldn't know." Genta said "It was a gift from a client."

"Some gift. That mad man who damn near knocked me down that broken down old stair case?" Kubota asked. "Doesn't look good for you, Genta-kun. What a shame if both you and Ayumi-chan were implicated in this dirty case. Cold blooded murder in a seedy hotel? What exactly was Ayumi-chan doing in a place like that? With a man like that?"

" _Yoshida-tantei_ is a private employee of mine and was there on assignment." Shinichi said pointedly. Kubota didn't look away from Genta. He blew smoke in a long slow exhale.

"Seems odd that pieces of evidence from this case keeping ending up around my two favorite, newly-retired officers. Who is this client that gave you this wonderful gift?" He said.

"That's confidential. We have the right to protect our clients." Mitsuhiko said.

"Turns out Ueki was involved in a payroll robbery about six months ago, with a partner named Adachi Niou. Found Ueki. Didn't find any money. Can't find anyone named Adachi. All my evidence keeps bringing me back to you two." Kubota took the cigarette and stamped it out on the wood of Genta's desk.

"I wouldn't call what you have evidence, exactly. More like fairy tales." Genta replied.

"Let's see what story the finger prints on this gun tell me." Kubota said, using his handkerchief to lift the gun from the table. Genta flinched, balling his fists.

"That's no way to handle evidence! You could be wiping _away_ fingerprints, skin oils, trace evidence! Damn it! What year do you think it is?" He said. Kubota dropped the gun into an evidence bag from his pocket. Anger spread over his face.

"Like I told Ayumi-chan, you guys don't have any weight to throw around anymore! I've had more than enough of you two and your goody-goody nagging. I'll take this to the lab and when it comes back that you and her were involved in this murder, I'll be rid of you once and for all!" He turned on his heel and stormed out of the office. Genta moved to follow him but Mitsuhiko grabbed his arm.

"Let him go, Genta. He can't prosecute this. He's trying to make us slip up." Mitsuhiko said. "We need to focus on the case."

"We should head to the crime scene." Shinichi said but before they could move, the phone began to ring. Mitsuhiko picked it up.

"Mouri Detect—" He began.

"Mitsuhiko!" Ayumi's voice shouted over the line, "Listen. I'm still in holding but I was allowed make a call to my legal counsel."

"Well, legally you-" He started but Ayumi interrupted.

"Ugh, _bengoshi_! I don't actually need legal counsel. I called about the case. Kubota-san has his sights set on framing Genta and I."

"We know," Mitsuhiko placed the phone on speaker and reported the events of both Kataoka's and Kubota's visit. Ayumi was quiet for a moment.

"I think I've got this case figured out but I have no way to investigate from here. Don't let his meddling affect your deductions. The crime scene has already been swept and cleaned by Kubota, so that's no good to us anymore. You need to investigate Orio and Kataoka's wife." There was a clattering noise on her end of the call.

"Ayumi, listen-" Shinichi said.

"I have to go, my time is up. Solve this, Detective Boys." She ordered and the line went dead. The men exchanged glances.

"I think we start at the Kataoka house." Mitsuhiko said. " _Oku-san_ has some secrets we need to weed out."

The mean stepped into a cab and made their way to Kataoka's apartment. Mitsuhiko sat in the front seat while Shinichi and Genta brooded in the back seat. The three of them turned the facts over and over in their minds. The only thing clear to all three of them was that Adachi was a ghost. And they had to put him in a headlock.

The sun was beginning set, casting long shadows over the street. The streetlights began to buzz to life. The tall apartment building came into view and a flash of red caught Mitsuhiko's eye. His heart fell.

"It's Orio-san!" He said as the woman ducked inside of the building. "What's she doing here?"

"It can't be good." Genta said. The cab halted in front of the building. Mitsuhiko paid while the other two men clambered out. The trio rushed inside and saw the only elevator occupied. It must have been Orio, heading up to the Kataoka's floor.

"It's three floors up." Mitsuhiko said "We can catch up. Let's go."

Shinichi and Mitsuhiko bolted up the adjoining staircase. Genta followed. He wasn't nearly as fast as his two friends and he knew it. He lagged behind by several feet. They burst through the door and came face to face with Orio Rena. She was momentarily surprised.

"Orio-san!" Mitsuhiko gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question, handsome." She said. "Who're your friends?"

"Orio-san, listen. We need to know what you know about Adachi-san." Mitsuhiko said. A door opened down the hallway and Kataoka Naomi appeared, her husband cowering behind her. Orio saw him and tears spring to her eyes.

"Niou. _Anata._ " She said, moving towards him, "It's really you."

"W-What are you talking about?" He said. Naomi moved in front of her husband.

"You're confused, Rena-san." Naomi said dangerously. "Niou disappeared. He's probably dead. This is my husband."

"You might have changed his name and his face, Naomi but I know my Niou. What have you done to him?" Orio said, tears beginning to slide down her face.

"Niou? A-Adachi Niou?" Kataoka repeated faintly.

"You must have the wrong house." Naomi's voice rose.

"You're a liar. I want Adachi back. He's standing right behind you." Orio said.

"What're you saying? You're insane." Naomi said, clutching her purse.

"Don't you remember me, sweetheart? Oh, what did she do to you?" Orio was addressing Kataoka. His eyes widened as she spoke.

"I…I was in an accident. I don't remember so well." He said rubbing his forehead.

"You were hurt in the payroll robbery." She said desperately "You were supposed to come back to me but you disappeared. I thought you were dead."

"Payroll…. I don't…. Naomi, what's going on?" Kataoka looked at his wife.

"Go ahead! Tell him. Tell him that he is Adachi Niou. Tell him you were jealous and stole him from me. Tell him you shot Ueki." Orio shouted at Naomi.

"Shut up Rena!" Naomi extracted a gun from her purse.

"What are you doing, Naomi?" Kataoka asked "Where did that come from?"

"You're mine and you're going to stay mine!" She said and trained the gun on Orio. Kataoka grabbed her wrist. There was a struggle. The two scuffled, Orio ran towards the pair. Mitsuhiko cried out for her to stop.

 _BANG._


	10. The Case of The Missing Name Conclusion

Character List:

Kataoka Isamu aka Adachi Niou – Client

Katakoka Naomi – Client's Wife

Orio Rena – Female Person of Interest

Ueki Basho – Male Person of Interest/Murder Victim

Kubota Taikan – Police Inspector

* * *

The scene moved quickly, as if in fast forward. The husband and wife separated, Naomi still clutching the gun with both hands. Then Orio stumbled. The three men knew before the couple. She'd been hit.

Orio's body fell backwards, hitting the floor with a dull thud. Shinichi ran to her, pulling his handkerchief and pushing against her wound. Blood began to pool around his fingertips. Genta's hand flew to his hip. His fingers groped for a sidearm that wasn't there.

"She needs an ambulance!" He shouted. Mitsuhiko had his phone to his ear already.

"Drop the gun!" Genta ordered. Naomi wasn't given a chance before her husband pulled the weapon from her hands.

"You shot her…." Kataoka raced to Orio, sitting at her side on the floor. He cradled her head in his hands. "Oh… Rena."

"Niou…You, remember me. She got me good but…but you remember me." She smiled weakly and winced. She began to cough violently, blood appearing at her lips. Shinichi knew that the bullet must have nicked her lung. She would begin to drown in her own blood if the ambulance didn't arrive soon.

"Yeah…Yeah, I do. Rena. I'm beginning to remember a lot of things." He stood and turned on his wife.

"You're out of luck. We're married legally." She said shakily.

"You're married. To someone named Isamu, not me. Not Adachi Niou. And you've killed Rena." He pointed the gun at the woman. "Tell me it's a dream. Tell me I'm crazy. Tell me it's all in my head."

"Adachi-san!" Genta barked. "Don't do this. Put the weapon down."

"I might not remember everything yet but I remember that I love that woman. We were going to get married." He said.

"I understand that, Adachi-san. But if you pull that trigger, I'll have to put you in prison for a long time." Genta said. His hands trembled, causing the gun to wave back and forth.

"Police and Ambulance on their way." Mitsuhiko reported.

"You hear that, Adachi-san." Genta said quietly "You make the right choice, now."

"Niou…" Rena whimpered. The gun clattered to the floor. Genta swooped in and kicked it down the hallway. He grabbed Naomi by the arm and Adachi returned to Orio's side. He smoothed her hair. He looked pleadingly at the three detectives.

"I don't think I'm a good man," He said "I ain't sure of much but that seems clear. But even a bad man knows what love feels like."

He held Orio's hand until the ambulance arrived.

* * *

The police arrested Kataoka Naomi for the murders and Adachi Niou for his involvement in the payroll robbery. Orio was taken to the hospital where she was expected to recover. Turns out the three of them were part of a payroll robbery. Naomi and Adachi were supposed to meet up with Ueki to split the cash but got into an auto accident. Nothing, sinister, just bad luck. While they were in the hospital Naomi took advantage of Adachi's amnesia to write herself a love story and they disappeared with the money. When Ueki and Orio heard that Naomi was in town with an unknown man, they were able to piece it together. Ueki tried to blackmail her for his part of the cash but she put two in his chest before he got a dime. Orio didn't care about the money; it seemed she just wanted Adachi.

Shinichi, Genta, and Mitsuhiko gave their statements at the police station. Mitsuhiko and Shinichi loitered at the front entrance, waiting for Genta.

"What's taking him so long?" Shinichi complained. Mitsuhiko sighed and shrugged. Shinichi yawned wide. Night had fallen. The streets were beginning to move with young people out for the evening. Mitsuhiko watched the groups of friends, the happy couples and, the eager singles. So blissfully unaware of the murderous and broken people hidden behind the police station doors. They were ten feet away from the saddest people in the city.

Genta finally appeared a few minutes later and the three made their way back to the office. Shinichi climbed the stairs and opened the door. Inside, waiting for them, was Ayumi.

"Ah! There's my team!" She said. She trotted over and gave them each a long, firm hug.

"Ayumi-san!" Genta said, wrapping his arms around her, lifting her a few inches off the ground. "We were sure Kubota would try to hold you a few more hours."

"Oh, he was going to try." She laughed, letting him go and putting her arms around Mitsuhiko. He patted her on the back.

"He would have definitely heard from my offices." He told her as she released him.

"Forget your offices, they would have heard from Ran. That's scarier than anything." Shinichi said, casually putting one arm around her. The group laughed.

"Kubota had the drop the case against me once the wife confessed." Ayumi said.

"There's one thing I don't understand." Shinichi said "Naomi said she only owns one gun and the bullet from Orio matched the two from Ueki. How did she get it?"

"The gun was never logged into evidence." Genta said, "After we gave our statements, I spoke with my supervisor. Naomi claims she didn't notice the gun go missing from her closet. We all know Kubota was the last person in possession of the weapon before it somehow got back to Naomi."

"But why?" Mitsuhiko asked. Genta shrugged.

"Who knows? Maybe he was on the take? Maybe he was so intent on framing Ayumi and I that he was hiding any contrary evidence? Either way, we can't prove anything." Genta sighed. The four stood in momentary silence. Genta added. "I withdrew my resignation. I can't leave the department in that man's hands."

"Genta!" Ayumi gasped.

"Don't you lecture me, Ayumi!" He said "I've made my choice. I'm an officer of the law and I can't let the department be corrupted by him. As long as I'm there, I'll know there's at least one good officer still on the force."

"Oh… Genta." Ayumi smiled at him, her eyes glassy with proud tears. Mitsuhiko patted his old friend on the back.

"Admirable, Genta. And it won't hurt to have a trustworthy police contact." He said. Genta smiled nervously.

"I think that it's time to close up for the night." Shinichi said "Let's go get some dinner." The three agreed heartily, leaving the office behind them and venturing bravely into the dark city.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

 _Story based on the public domain detective story "Johnny Madiero,Pier 34: The Man who Chased Himself."_


	11. Chapter 11

The days that followed the closure of their first case left the agency in a whirlwind. Mitsuhiko and Ayumi become permanent employees while Genta could only consider himself a police consultant. The large sum that the Kataoka's had paid to the agency was more than enough to justify their employment, not to mention the reward from the police station for catching the robbery team.

After that, Ayumi and Mitsuhiko found themselves on nearly constant cases. While Shinichi still took most of the more complex cases, the two found themselves chasing murderers, kidnappers and, of course, the occasional unfaithful spouse.

June was bringing heavy rains and today was no different. As Ayumi stood at the long windows of the agency, rain pattered angrily against the glass. Below her, a sea of black umbrellas shuffled back and forth over the sidewalk. It was early afternoon but the dark cloudy sky made it look almost like dusk. Shinichi was hunched over his desk, filing some paperwork form his last case into his records.

"Ayumi-chan!" called Ran from the stairwell, "Are you here?"

"In here!" She answered. Ran opened the door to the offices, beaming wide. She held a photo album to her chest. She had aged so beautifully, Ayumi thought. She looked more graceful and more refined as every year passed.

"Look what I've found!" She said, opening the book and pointing. Ayumi peered at the photo Ran pointed at and laughed. Shinichi peered over her shoulder.

"What's so funny up here?" asked Mitsuhiko from the doorway. His coat was speckled wet by the rain. Genta stood close behind him, struggling to close his umbrella. The two kicked off their wet shoes and entered the office. Ayumi turned the photo book so that the men could see.

"My goodness, it's all of us at Mystery Island!" Mitsuhiko said "That photo must be twenty years old! Look how young we all were."

"Crap, what a chubby kid I was." Genta lamented, patting his belly. "Glad boxing finally got me into shape."

The photo capture five small faces huddled around Ran, Kogoro, and Eri. Kogoro was standing tenderly on one leg, his right arm still in a sling. Eri braced him from his weak side. Genta, Mitsuhiko and Ayumi wore big smiled but the two other children looked less enthusiastic. A small black haired boy with wide glasses stood cross-armed next to a blonde girl with her hands stuck in her pockets.

"Look," Ayumi said "Conan-kun and Ai-Chan. Do you guys remember them?"

"Oh, I remember them." Genta said stubbornly "A nosey know-it-all boy and a sarcastic cranky girl. They were so rude to us anytime we wanted to play hide-and-seek or tag. They only ever wanted to pretend to be older than they were."

"Oh, they weren't so bad." Mitsuhiko said.

"Of course you don't think so. You were in love with Ai-chan!" Genta teased. Mitsuhiko blushed and waved him away.

"Oh, don't worry Mitsuhiko. I had the biggest crush on Conan-kun," Ayumi said nudging him "We both were a terrible victim of puppy love. What about you, Genta? Wasn't there any little girl you liked as a child?"

Genta turned beet red. Mitsuhiko prodded him knowingly.

"Yeah, Genta. Who was it?" He teased. Genta took the photo album and quickly changed the subject.

"What ever happened to these two? Shinichi-san, wasn't Conan-kun a distant relative of yours?" Genta asked.

"He was," Shinichi lied expertly "He lives overseas now. We've sort of lost contact."

"Those were simpler times." Ayumi said.

 _For you, maybe_. Shinichi thought to himself. He glanced at Ran who offered him a secretive wink. The two of them had agreed that the people in their lives didn't need to know Shinichi's secret. Least of all, the children. It was actually Shiho's idea to take the trip to Tropical Land.

 _"_ _What do you mean; you're not giving the antidote right away?" Shinichi, then still Conan, demanded._

 _"_ _It needs to go through its final testing phase." She answered nonchalantly. "While it does that, I suggest you get your affairs in order."_

 _"_ _Affairs? What affairs?" He asked._

 _"_ _Edogawa Conan can't just disappear." She told him "People will notice. Your mother needs to arrange for you to be taken out of school; you need to pack up your things from the Mouri's house. Tell them you're moving overseas. Not to mention The Detective Boys."_

 _"_ _What about them?" He asked._

 _"_ _Even you aren't that dumb, Kudo-Kun." She said "You're their best friend. They look up to you. Ayumi-chan has a crush on you. You're just going to leave without saying goodbye to them? After all this time?"_

 _Conan stopped arguing. He'd never really thought about it. He'd waited so long to be Kudo Shinichi again that he didn't ever consider what would happen to Conan. He never considered that maybe someone might miss him._

 _"_ _Take them to the amusement park." Haibara said, almost ordering him, turning her back "Give them a happy farewell to remember you by."_

The young detective poured over the old photographs for several more minutes. There were several photos of the four of them with Ran and Shinichi as they grew up, constantly hanging around the Detective Agency. Ran had grown fond of them and, even after learning the truth about Conan, doted on them and treated them as the little siblings she never had.

"If you think about it," Ayumi said "If it weren't for us making friends with Conan-kun all those years ago, we probably wouldn't be detectives today."

"That's true. What strange turns a life can take." Mitsuhiko agreed.

"All because of one strange little boy." Genta said. They handed the photo book back the Ran and thanked her. She dug into the pocket of her skirt.

"Look what else." She said and produced an old metal button, shaped like the letters "DB" and the silhouette of Sherlock Holmes. "Conan-kun must have left it behind."

Ayumi, Genta, and Mitsuhiko exchanged looks before proudly lifting the collars of their shirts. Cleverly hidden, they each still wore their Detective Boy badge.

"The radio doesn't work anymore but we've worn them since high school." Genta said.

"I've even worn it under my jacket lapel in court." Mitsuhiko said.

"It brings us good luck." Ayumi grinned wide. The three tucked their badges back into their hiding spots. Ran and Shinichi both felt their hearts glow with pride.


	12. Chapter 12

When the day came to a close, Shinichi was the last to leave the office. Ayumi and Mitsuhiko had both left around 6 and it was almost 9 now. The raincloud blotted out any sign of moon or stars, so the night was heavy and dark. He shut off the lights and locked the door, climbing the stairwell to his and Ran's apartment.

Kogoro and Eri now lived in a small quiet neighborhood across town and, having inherited the agency, Ran also took the lease of the third floor apartment. She did not mind living in her childhood home. It was cozy and familiar. It was full of good memories. Shinichi liked being close to the office and had no problem leaving behind the big empty house of his youth. He opened the apartment door and spotted Ran pushing a hot compress against her shoulder with a book open in her lap. Her hair was tied loosely into a messy pony-tail. She wore an old t-shirt with a hole in the collar and a loose pair of yoga pants. Her feet were bare, the pink polish on her toes beginning to chip.

"Oh? Get hurt at the dojo today?" He asked, kicking his shoes off.

"Yeah, I think I just strained it a little while I was sparring." She said. He kissed her gently on top of the head. She looked up at him.

"Am I getting old, Shinichi?" She asked.

"Yup." He grinned impishly at her "A tired, old, gray-haired woman."

"Humph." She turned stubbornly away from him. "Maybe too old to make your dinner."

"I'm only kidding!" He laughed and sat down beside her. He inspected the book in her lap and saw that it was the wedding photo album.

"Do you remember this?" She asked.

"Our wedding? Yeah, I have a few vague recollections."

" _This_ , smart aleck." She pointed at a particular photo. He took the book and looked more closely. In the photo, Shinichi was standing in his tuxedo, hands in pockets and rolling his eyes. Ran, in her gown, was kneeling concernedly next to a sofa where a 12-year-old Genta lay looking miserable and pale. Beside her stood Ayumi, her face streaked faintly pink and black, and Mitsuhiko in what was left of his suit. Shinichi laughed.

"Yes. Genta ate himself sick on cake, Ayumi cried during the ceremony and ruined the make-up her mother gave her special permission to wear and Mitsuhiko was hiding from his father because he'd lost both his tie and his suit jacket."

"It seems like those three were always around." Ran said fondly.

"Always getting into trouble." Shinichi countered. Ran didn't disagree. Shinichi looked at a few of the other photos. Of course a photographer had taken great pains to get beautiful shots of the bride, the couple and the families but the candid photos drew his eye. Kogoro drunk and Eri scowling. His own father dancing clumsily in the middle of snickering guests, his mother's face buried in her hands. Megure standing shyly off to the side and waving at the camera.

His favorite photo, of course, was of Ran. Someone had taken it while she was laughing, her eyes closed and fingers fanned over her mouth, modestly covering her face. She wore her elegant gown with the same ease as she wore a ghi, looking just as poised and powerful. The light streaming down over her made her glow. Or maybe it just looked that way to him.

Ran took the album back into her lap and shifted the compress a little on her shoulder. Shinchi leaned back comfortably.

"What made you so nostalgic today?" He asked.

"I suppose having those three working at the agency reminds me of when they were small." She said. "I loved having them around, treating them like my very own little siblings. Now they're all adults. When Mitsuhiko-kun said today about that photo being twenty years old it reminded me just how much time has passed."

"Ah, you're getting sentimental in your old age." Shinichi teased. She prodded him roughly.

"If I'm an old woman that makes you an old man." She reminded him. He laughed again.

"Why don't I make dinner tonight?" He said, changing the subject. Ran smiled at his gesture and agreed. Shinichi told her to rest her shoulder and that he'd start making their meal right away. Late as it was, Ran never ate without him. She usually had something simmering on the stove and waiting but tonight, sore and lost in memories, she hadn't gotten around to it. Shinichi retreated to the kitchen and started to shuffle through the cabinets.

He teased Ran about getting older but she didn't seem to age at all. She was still as fierce and short-tempered as always. True, sometimes the long hours at the dojo took its toll on her, just like Shinichi's job could take a toll on him, but she was probably still the strongest karate competitor in Beika City.

Having the Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, and Genta around had sent Shinichi thinking about the past, too. He thought about the long year he spent as Conan. A year of being ignored, discredited, unheard and dismissed. Maybe that's why, when he got his real body back, he allowed the Detective Boys around the agency so much. They were pretty smart kids, after all. He was more patient than he had been before his time as Conan. He'd grown fond of the little rascals even though he never admitted it to himself back then. He enjoyed teaching them about the art of deduction. It had paid off for him in the long run.

With the new employees taking some of Shinichi's cases, he found his old passion for the craft again. The rush of the crime scene, the feeling of the pieces coming together… all that had been lost when he was juggling three or four cases and terrified of not being able to pay bills that month. Having those kids around made him feel five years younger. He felt like a real detective again.

He finished making dinner and set the table for himself and Ran. He sat across from her as she settled at the table.

"Smell delicious." She said, smiling. Shinichi smiled back. There it was again. That glow. That poise. That strength. It was still all around her.

"Eat up." He said. "You need your strength, _obasan_."


	13. Chapter 13

Across town, Kogoro was trying to ease his own aches and pains. He sunk low into a hot bath, hoping to dull the throbbing in his joints. The changing weather had not been treating him kindly. Shadows of old injuries were resurfacing, reminding him of days long past. Thunder rolled ominously outside. He closed his eyes. The worst of the pain was in his right leg. He felt it throb in time with his heartbeat.

Kogoro had hoped the bath would do something for the swelling and the discomfort. Over the last day or two, he found that he needed to takes rests throughout the day to ease the pain. Sometimes, when Eri wasn't looking, he stole a shot of cheap liquor to cure it. He did not like to admit that he was getting older, liked even less to admit that the years of drinking and smoking hadn't made his old age any easier.

When his bath water cooled, Kogoro dragged himself out and dried off. He dressed in warm pajamas and slowly made his way to the front room, limping just slightly, were Eri was lounging and reading a book. _Thump-thump-thump_ , went his heart. _Thump-thump-thump_ , went his leg. He braced himself against the doorframe for just a second before walking into the room.

"How was your bath? Feel any better?" She asked, not looking up.

"Fine." He grumbled and sat next to her. He turned on the television and changed it over to the news. Eri glanced once at the screen and then at Kogoro. He rarely watched anything other than reruns of Yoko-Okino's old television dramas or sports.

Kogoro leaned easily on one arm. He still sat slouched and unkempt. She told him that if he bothered to improve his posture, maybe he wouldn't be so sore where the weather turned bad. He didn't listen. Of course, he hadn't listened to her in the past fifty years, so why change now? If he was determined to be stubborn, he would pay his own consequences.

"A reminder from the Beika City police" said the news anchor briskly "If you see any suspicious activity, report it immediately. Stay alert and stay safe. Now, today's weather report shows-"

"See, there it is." Kogoro said angrily. Eri looked up at him. He gestured at the TV and the newspaper he'd left sprawled out that morning.

"There's what?" She asked.

"The police have a serial killer on their hands. A tough one." He said. Eri almost laughed.

"What makes you say that?"

Kogoro plucked a few pages from the piles of papers. He showed Eri public ads that were not all together unusual or uncommon. "Stay alert, stay safe." Said one "Remember to travel safely at night." Said another. "Report any suspicious activity to the police right away."

"Those are just public safety announcements." She told him. "You're getting paranoid."

"That's what you think, but the crime report has listed three murders in the last three weeks and not a peep on them since." Kogoro tossed the papers down again, "I'll bet a week's pay that they have a serial killer and no leads. They don't want a panic so they push these safety ads instead. If I were still a detective, they would have called me in two weeks ago and I would have had it solved!"

"Maybe they'll call Shinchi-kun." She said off-handedly and looked back at her book.

"Ah! That boy won't solve it for another month." Kogoro said. Eri peered over the book at him. He sat with his chin cradled in his hand. She knew that he sometimes itched to be back in the action, solving cases and chasing down criminals. He shuffled listlessly through the papers again. She conceded that he might be right but there was nothing either of them could do about it, so she changed the subject.

"Have you heard from Ran lately?" She asked, marking her page and setting her book aside.

"No. Ran doesn't have time to call her father anymore, it seems." He said grumpily, still fiddling with the papers. Eri sat up straighter and put her arms around Kogoro's shoulders. He blushed and tried to remain stoically grumpy.

"She must be busy," Eri said "Three new employees at the agency and she still teaching at the Karate school four nights a week. She works until she drops, poor dear."

Kogoro leaned into Eri's touch, as naturally as breathing. Those years apart hadn't done anything to dampen his love for her. Twenty years together again hadn't done anything to dull his passion for her. He was still a silly school boy foolishly in love with the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. He relaxed underneath her fingers.

"Maybe we can have her and Shinichi-san over for dinner tomorrow." Eri suggested. Kogoro scoffed.

"Why not just invite Ran and forget t _antei-bozu_?" He said. Eri laughed. The two of them got along fairly well for two pig-headed egotists but neither would ever admit it. She leaned her head against Kogoro's shoulder.

"You know she hates when you make those jokes." She told him.

"I'm her father and I'll say whatever I like about her no-good husband." He argued.

"You're the president of the No-Good Husband club, _anata_ , so I wouldn't talk too loudly about Shinichi-san." Eri prodded him firmly in the side.

"Good enough for you, _obasan_." He argued, poking her back. She squirmed away from him, crossing her arms and hiding a smile.

"Don't think that means I won't walk out tomorrow. I've done it once and I'll do it again." She childishly turned her face away from him. Kogoro threw up his hands.

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out!" He said. She harrumphed and refused to look at him. Kogoro glared for a moment and then, overcome with mischievousness, pounced on his unsuspecting wife, pushing kisses into her cheeks. She laughed and pushed him away.

"You stop it right now!" She demanded, laughing, and he let her go. He straightened, proud of his success over her. She wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"You're still under that old Mouri charm." He said confidently.

"Mouri curse!" She corrected him.


	14. The Case of the Beika Vampire

Kogoro was right about a serial killer loose in Beika city. He was also right that the police had no leads and very little evidence. It was the only thing discussed at the police station, it seemed. Whether or not they had any more information on The Vampire of Beika.

Genta was not assigned to the case but knew most of the facts. Several people had been stabbed to death, of varying ages and genders, in different parts of the city and at different times of day. None of them seemed to have any connection to the other. The only link between them was the bloody and brutal nature of their death. Each victim had bled to death due to numerous lacerations caused by some sort of folded u-shaped knife.

Genta followed the case as closely as anyone but that was not what he was thinking about now. Now, it was before dawn. He was alone in the police officer's gym facility. With Ayumi gone, he'd lost his sparring partner so he took to using the punching bag daily. With heavy gloves he counted each left, each right, each uppercut, jab, haymaker and so on. Every blow was calculated and had a specific purpose. Every roll and block measured. Every movement was purposeful. Nothing was wasted.

He was sweating and breathing hard, his arms and chest beginning to burn with the effort. He'd already lifted weights before he put on the gloves. He pushed harder through the pain, _One-Two_ , he told himself _One-Two, punch through the bag, Two-Three, punch to the other side, One-Two-Three-One._

The sounds of his gloves colliding with the vinyl bag echoed hollowly through the empty room. Genta was here every morning, even without Ayumi. A good officer, he told himself, was morally and physically strong. A good officer could never be moved unless he chose to move.

When he'd finished his set, Genta moved to the jump rope. Then, finally and begrudgingly, set himself for a three mile run. As much as he complained about it, he knew it was an unavoidable part of police work.

Just as he was rounding his first mile, he noticed someone flagging him down at the entrance to the track. It was barely sunrise, the sun barely making light through the lingering storm clouds. He slowed to a trot and stopped next to the officer who'd gotten his attention.

"Hey, Kojima-Keiji," the young man said "They said I'd find you out here. You're needed in the patrol room. Right away, if you can."

"Sure." Genta walked along with the man, chatting idly about the weather and the news. He didn't recognize the officer but they had just gotten several from the academy so he wasn't surprised. He walked into the patrol room and found it as bustling as always. The man indicated to Genta that he was needed by their supervisor.

"Ah! Genta-kun!" said the woman behind the desk as he entered, closing the door behind him. She was small framed but Genta knew her to be one of the strongest officers in hand-to-hand confrontation. She wore her black hair cropped short, as always. Her suit was neat and pressed; her desk was organized and neat. Everything about her bespoke her natural authority.

"Sato-san," He said blushing "I told you we need to be professional at work. I don't want anyone to think that I get special treatment from you."

"Oh, Genta-kun it's just me and you in here! No need for ' _Kojima-Keiji_ ' and ' _Miwako-Buchou_ ' nonsense." She said waving away his concerns. "I need a personal favor."

"What is it?" He sat down, the imposing wooden desk between them.

"I want the Detective Boys on the Vampire case." She said brusquely. "I know you, Ayumi-chan and Mitsuhiko-kun are all part of the Mouri agency now and we could use some ace detectives on this. So far the police force has nothing and we stretched for resources as it is. The superintendent has authorized me to authorize reimbursement of itemized expenses for up to one week and a payment of ¥4,000 per day to Ayumi-chan and Mitsuhiko-kun for up to one week. "

"Wait, how much do I get paid?" Genta said indignantly.

"The only thing I can offer is I can approve your expenses and overtime. It was the only deal the Superintendent would take, since you're still on the city's payroll." She said, shrugging. "But, there is a public reward of ¥50,000 for information leading to his arrest."

"Why not ask Shinichi-san?" Genta asked. Sato considered the question for a long minute before answering.

"Kudo-kun is a great detective, no doubt. I trust him implicitly. I want to make that clear." She said "But I think can be better handled by you three. I have a feeling about it and that's all I'm willing to say."

"I will call Ayumi-san and Mitsuhiko-san but I don't see why we can't take the case." He said. Sato smiled, relieved, and produced a thick manila folder.

"These are the cases we've linked to the Vampire." She said, suddenly very business-like "There's been six known victims total, each one murdered in the same fashion. The first three weren't linked initially because they occurred out of district. We've managed to wrangle jurisdiction on the case as a whole and I have all the reports here, including autopsy and crime scene photos."

Genta took the folder with gravity and stood. Sato did the same.

"I'm sure they'll get started right away, Sato-san." He said, "I'll bring this to them right now." He turned to leave when Sato stopped him.

"Genta-kun!" She said, just as he reached for the door. He stopped and turned to face her again. Looking at the imposing figure of Sato-san, carrying the heavy file that could lead him to a dangerous maniac had weighed Genta was a sense of solemnity.

"I actually need you to take the 7th street patrol for the next two hours; Urameshi-san is out sick today." She said, smiling. Genta's new found sense of importance deflated instantly.

"Yes, Miwako-buchou. Of course." He said dejectedly and walked out of the office. _I guess I will bring them the file on my lunch break,_ he thought wryly.


	15. The Case of the Beika Vampire Pt 2

Ayumi and Mitsuhiko were loitering at the Detective Agency. Shinichi was working a case but the two of them were frustratingly idle. They'd been without a case for about three days now. That isn't unusual for private detectives but the two of them were not yet used to the ups and downs of detective work.

"Come look at this, Ayumi-san." Mitsuhiko called from the window. "What to play a deduction game?"

Deduction games were common for them as children. Shinichi would pose problems or riddles to them and watch them try to work it out. Ayumi came to the window beside Mitsuhiko and looked out where he was indicating. There was small woman standing across the street from the offices.

"What can we deduce about her?" He said. Ayumi scowled and waved her finger at Mitsuhiko.

"I don't think it's polite to spy on our clients." She chided him.

"Aww, Ayumi, I was hoping I'd trick you! How'd you know she was a client?" He said.

"It's too obvious that she's coming to see us, Mitsuhiko. She keeps glancing up at our windows, not down at the café or at the businesses next door. She obviously worried and distraught. She ran out of her house without a coat, even though it's chilly outside. What else would she be doing?" She nudged Mitsuhiko good naturedly. He blushed and laughed.

"She hasn't quite made up her mind if she wants to come in or not. She's been there for about five minutes." Mitsuhiko said.

"Maybe she's timid." Ayumi said. "Should we go greet her?"

Before Mitsuhiko could answer, the woman seemed to make up her mind and hurried across the street. The heard the door open but not close. She walked so softly up the stairs they could barely detect her footfall. Her tap on the door was so meek that, had they not been listening for it, they may have missed it entirely. Ayumi suggested that Mitsuhiko greet her, as he was often better at putting people at ease.

He opened the door to the young woman, who was obviously seriously chilled by her stand on the curb. She wore a pressed blouse and skirt and modest ballet flat shoes.

"Hello. How can I help you?" Mitsuhiko asked kindly. She glanced up at him and over his shoulder at Ayumi, hesitating before answering.

"I need some professional advice. Can I have a minute of your time?" She asked softly. Mitsuhiko gladly invited her in. She stepped lightly into the office, looking around as if waiting for something to jump out at her.

"I had a strange encounter the other day and am wondering if I should report it to the police." She said, sitting across from Mitsuhiko on the consulting sofas. Ayumi lingered at her desk, allowing Mitsuhiko to confer with the client and gathering what information she could from simple observation. The woman wasn't older than twenty, small framed and nervous. Ayumi saw ink stains on her right pointer fingertip, indicating she probably worked an office job. Office workers often hand ink transfer on their dominant hand from where they worked with printed documents all day.

"I am Tsuburaya-Tantei," He said. She introduced herself as Sasaki.

"Tell me about what's bothering you, Sasaki-san." Mitsuhiko invited.

"Well, I was walking at the park last evening, on my way home from work," She said "When a man accosted me. He was being very rude to me and I was frightened. Another older man stepped in a told him to go away and then offered to walk me to the nearest bus stop so that I could go home. He was very nice to me. I recognize him as one of the grounds workers from the office I work in. I haven't lived in the city very long and I'm not very familiar with the streets so it took me several minutes but I realized he'd lead me in the opposite direction of the bus stop. He stopped in front of a house and invited me in for tea. I told him no thank you and tried to leave. He then agreed to take me to the bus stop. When I turned my back to him, he put his hands on my shoulders and… well, he pulled me against him."

"Was he trying to strangle you?" Mitsuhiko asked. The woman hesitated but shook her head.

"It felt more like a very firm hug." She said, blushing. "But I was so scared and surprised that I screamed and he let go and ran off."

"I'm sorry, Sasaki-san, but it doesn't seem like he did anything illegal." Mitsuhiko said "He was probably some old pervert and you scared him off. Has he bothered you since?"

She shook her head. Mitsuhiko smiled kindly.

"I think you did the right thing by screaming. You were very smart. If he, or anyone, bothers you again come back to us and we'll look into it. I promise. The big city can be awful scary if you're not used to it." Mitsuhiko handed the young woman his card and she thanked him. Looking a little more at ease, she left the office. Mitsuhiko sighed.

"All week we've had nothing to do and the first bit on the line is nothing at all." He said.

"I wouldn't call it nothing," Ayumi said "He may not have done anything illegal this time but he was a shady character. I think we should keep her information on hand."

"Oh, Ayumi-san if we have to keep information on every groper in Beika, we're going to have to rent a whole other office." He whined. Ayumi glared at him.

"You shouldn't take gropers so lightly, Mitsuhiko-kun!" She said sternly. "What they do is illegal and they often escalate into more serious crime!"

"Okay, okay." He said and wrote down the woman's name and information as she had given it, along with a concise description of her complaint. Ayumi's phone buzzed and she looked at it, reading the screen quickly.

"Oh, Genta-kun has a case for us!" She reported "He said we will be by here later with the details but the police department wants us to investigate a serial killer."

"Must be those stabbings they've been reporting in the papers. All very quiet." He said, closing the filing cabinet.

"I've read on those, too. I wondered if there was more to the story than what the police were releasing. I feel so out of the loop anymore!" She complained. Mitsuhiko laughed.

"You're just a regular citizen, now. You don't get all the inside scoops anymore." He teased. Ayumi pouted slightly but was excited about a new case. He couldn't wait to get back out there on the streets, doing actual work again.


	16. The Case of the Beika Vampire Pt 3

Genta arrived and handed them the manila folder, giving a brief summary of his conversation with Sato. They dug through the evidence together.

"It looked like a total of six incidents with nine victims." Mitsuhiko said after several minutes of them reading together "That's an awful lot in such a short time frame."

"The first murder occurred only six weeks ago." Ayumi said "But there doesn't seem to be a pattern of attack. The victims were different ages, genders, wealth and in different parts of the city. On the surface there's nothing linking them but there must be some reason they were all targeted."

"These are all the crime scene photos and autopsy reports." Genta said. "The reason I think we were called in is that the police recovered this letter after the fifth murder." He handed them a sheet of lined notebook paper sealed inside a plastic evidence bag.

"The paper is too common to be traced." Mitsuhiko said immediately.

"Looks like the pen was a regular ballpoint, too." Ayumi added and then read the letter aloud. " 'If you don't think I killed them, X marks the spot.' And there's a hand traced map of an area near Teimuzu River with two X's."

"That was in response to the disappearance of a 20-year-old woman and a 2-year-old child." Genta said, sliding them the particular case photos. Like a macabre flip book, were images of an undisturbed field, a pile of freshly dug earth and the police slowly unearthing the two bodies. "They were identified as a young mother and son by the woman's fiancé. They went missing four days ago at the Beika zoo. The letter was received two days ago and the bodies were recovered and positively ID'ed yesterday."

Mitsuhiko studied the photos carefully, trying to discern any clue he could from the area or the shallow graves but nothing appeared to him right away.

"This is just a mountain of work." Ayumi groaned "There's no way to go through it all. It'll take days just to get caught up, much less make any new progress. Meanwhile, there's a killer on the loose."

"I suggest we split it up. Ayumi can take the first two murders, Genta take the next two and I'll investigate the two most recent." Mitsuhiko said "We will compile our observations and clues individually and then do our best to piece the events back together."

"I think _bengoshi_ has it right, for once," Genta said "Most of the crime scenes, except the burial spots, have been cleaned up but I don't think it will hurt for us to each go check out the areas and see if the police missed anything."

The three of them were sitting on the sofas, the pictures and reports spread out in front of them. The photos were particularly hard to look at, even for seasoned investigators like themselves. The violence of the attacks was obvious and escalating. The "Vampire" was so called because the victims were left in pools of blood from their wounds. One victim was an elderly woman, some were adults, some were young children. Each was sadder to see than the last. The wounds were all the same strange shaped lacerations, but from so many angles that it was impossible for the coroner to even determine the suspect's handedness. It was even suspected that the criminal switched the weapon from hand to hand, either to intentionally confuse investigators or simply out of rage.

"No one heard anything? There were no witnesses or physical evidence?" Mitsuhiko asked. Genta pointed to a few isolated documents.

"Some scatter eye witness testimony but nothing solid." He said "A few pieces of trace evidence that hasn't been matched the anything yet."

"We should get started as soon as possible. I say we each take our files, study them, then head out to check the physical locations. Got it, team?" Ayumi said authoritatively.

"Right." Genta and Mitsuhiko said together. They arranged their papers and each took the cases they had assigned. They held the weight of those victims in their hands, feeling the gravity of their work. It was no longer time for games of deduction; it was a fight for justice to those who they could save.

The afternoon was waning and soon it would be dark. Heavy storm clouds threatened to let fall torrential rains but nothing had come of it yet. The air was cold and wet with the promise of the downpour. The three detectives each sat at their own small desk, pouring over every detail of their paperwork and making notes in their respective pocket notebooks.

Shinichi returned just as the sun was setting, to find his three employees so engrossed in their work that they did not hear his arrival. He paused at the doorway, watching them for a moment, wondering how long it would take them to acknowledge him.

"If you're just gonna stand there, you could at least make us some coffee." Genta said after a few minutes of silence, speaking without looking up from his work.

"It's rude to stare, even if you are the boss." Ayumi added. Shinichi smiled. They noticed more than he thought they did.

"It's after eight, you guys, have you eaten dinner yet?" He asked. It was Mitsuhiko who looked away from his papers first. He glanced at his watch in disbelief. Ayumi followed suit. None of them had notice the time passing.

"Aw man, I'm starving!" Genta said suddenly, grasping his stomach. He hadn't noticed it but he hadn't eaten since before his workout that morning. He'd been so lost in the case, he'd forgotten both lunch and dinner.

"Uh-oh, we'd better feed him." Mitsuhiko teased.

"What's that mean, bookworm?" Genta shot back.

"Why don't I go get Rachel and we'll all go out to dinner?" Shinichi said "We can try the new bar and grill down the road."

"Sounds fun!" Ayumi said, shutting her papers inside the office file cabinet. She'd been a police officer long enough to learn how to file away the horrors of her work. She always made sure to firmly separate her work from her life, though it sometimes made her feel detached from both. Genta often had trouble doing this, finding himself talking about the gruesome details of his work at dinner parties and making everyone around him queasy. Mitsuhiko and Genta both secured their papers along side hers. She tugged the handle of the drawer once to confirm all the information was safely locked up before grabbing her things to leave.


	17. The Case of the Beika Vampire Pt 4

Shinichi disappeared with the promise to return quickly with his wife. The three stretched their tired muscles and rubbed their strained eyes. While today had been the hard work of study, tomorrow would be the physical investigation. Hopefully the rain would stay off for another day.

Ran and Shinichi reappeared and they group began the short walk to the nearby Bar and Grill. They'd all bundled themselves into waterproof coats, just in case.

"Ran-chan, that plaid coat is just adorable! You look so good in it." Ayumi gushed. Ran blushed and waved her compliment away, smiling nonetheless.

"I just picked it up from a half-priced sale a few years ago." She said modestly "Yours is cute too! Basic black is always so chic and sophisticated."

The three men exchanged glances while the two women talked fashion. _'Women'_ the glances said knowingly. They took solace in their momentary silent male camaraderie.

"Did either of you hear how the Tokyo Spirit game ended?" Shinichi asked "I was listening to it on the radio but missed the last few minutes."

"The Spirits lost by one goal. Their defense is weak this year." Mitsuhiko said.

"Nah, I think their defense is fine. They just need a more aggressive forward." Genta countered. And so the group chatted idly about the world, sports, news, fashion, television…about anything other than the gruesome nature of their work. They all knew that the subject would resurface but, for the moment, they talked as if they were ignorant of the dark impulses of society. They talked as if they didn't know monster walked among them.

The Bar and Grill was only about a ten minute walk from their office. They arrived just as fat drops of rain began to plop against the sidewalk. They ducked in the doorway and laughed at their good luck. The hostess took them to a booth where they crowded close to one another and ordered tea to warm themselves from the walk.

"Wow, everything looks so good!" Genta said, glancing over the menu.

"Genta, you've never met a dinner plate you didn't like." Ayumi teased.

"Who doesn't like a dinner plate?" He said, nudging her. The place was reasonably busy and not too loud. The food was mediocre at best and the drinks were cheap. Both Genta and Shinichi were ordering beers. Before long, they were red-faced and laughing loudly. Ran did her best to stop Shinichi from breaking into loud singing while Mitsuhiko restrained Genta every time he got the urge to leap from his seat to illustrate a point he was making. The other three had been slowly nursing their own drinks and, while nowhere near as intoxicated as their two friends, were feeling dizzy and silly themselves.

When they'd finally had their fill and paid their bill, they gathered their coats and produced umbrellas. The rain was pounding down outside, the heavy clouds blocking any light from the moon or stars. Shinichi clung to Ran's arm, professing his love for her over and over. Mitsuhiko and Ayumi tried to keep Genta on his feet as he swayed side to side across the sidewalk.

As they turned down the sidewalk that led to the agency, the street was suddenly empty and the group felt entirely alone.

"Come on," Ran urged nervously "It feels spooky out here. I can barely see anything in this rain."

"Don't worry, Ran-chan," Shinichi slurred "I'll protect you." She giggled nervously but ushered him forward. She was right about the street being foreboding. Even Mitsuhiko tried to hurry Genta along. Something in the air was frightening, though none of them could say what.

"Huh? Who left the lights on?" Genta said, looking at the agency. He was right. The second floor lights were all on, shining brightly onto the sidewalk. Ayumi and Ran exchanged glances, knowing they had securely locked the offices for the night.

"We should call the police." Mitsuhiko said, stumbling slightly. He regretted drinking as much as he had. Ayumi, her head buzzing and foggy, scowled.

"I have a feeling the police are already here." She said venomously. The group looked up at the windows but saw no movement within. Only the words "Mouri Detective Agency" in bright relief against the dark night, like a beacon atop a lighthouse.

"I'll go check it out!" Shinichi said bravely, straightening himself.

"You're in no condition." Ran said, "I don't think any of us are."

Suddenly, the lights flicked off and suddenly the street was plunged into darkness. The group stiffened, watching the staircase. There was only one entrance to the building. The minutes ticked by in silence and stillness, only the heavy fall of rain around them. The five huddled close together as scenarios ran through their minds.

"The fire escape!" Mitsuhiko said suddenly. "If they didn't exit through the stairs, they could have left through the fire exit."

"If they left at all." Ayumi said. There was a tense silence.

"Enough of this!" Genta shouted and sprinted toward the building. The others gave chase but he burst through the door before they could stop him. He charged up the dark staircase, the others clambering loudly behind him. When he threw on the lights to the office, they all froze. The sofas were over turned, the table had been tossed across the room, their desks had been ransacked…The entire room was destroyed.

"Oh, no," Ran said tears coming to her eyes. "The apartment!" She sprinted up the staircase to check her home.

"Ah! Ran, don't go alone!" Ayumi called and trailed after her. The two women reached the apartment door but it was still securely locked and the lights off. Mitsuhiko was a few stairs behind them. Ayumi looked at him, and shook his head, indicating that the apartment looked undisturbed. They walked back down and looked in the office from the doorway.

Shred of papers and glass shards from photo frames were littered across the floors. Someone had taken time and pains to destroy the office. Genta was speaking into his phone, hiccoughing and forgetful. Ran snatched the phone away from him and told the officer on the other end what had happened.


	18. The Case of the Beika Vampire Pt 5

"What about our client files?" Ayumi said suddenly. Without removing her shoes, to protect her from the glass, she tried the drawers on the file cabinets. They didn't budge. They were all still firmly locked and bolted to the walls. Dents and tool scratches marred the metal but they hadn't been breached.

"Good." Mitsuhiko said from the doorway, "A lot of sensitive information in there." She nodded, feeling angry tears coming. She was furious and frustrated. How could this happen? Where were the clues? She surveyed the chaos in front of her, frantic to make sense of it.

"This isn't a random home invasion." Came Shinichi's voice from the doorway. He was unsteady on his feet but his gaze was hard and clear. They all looked at him. He used one hand to brace himself against the wall. He hiccupped and rubbed his face, trying to force sobriety.

"Look at the pattern of the destruction." He said, indicating the mess along the floor. "It is the worse near the cabinet and gradually gets less severe at it reaches the door, as if the assailant was beginning to lose stamina."

"That means they were looking specifically for something in our files." Genta said, sitting on the door step. "Disgruntled client?"

"The police are on their way." Ran said, handing Genta his phone back. Genta clumsily placed it back into his pocket. The group was silent.

"Oh, they broke the photo of us together that Ran framed." Genta lamented drunkenly, indicating a frame next to him. "Ayumi, be careful to retrace your steps back out, the officer is gonna be pissed that we disrupted the scene."

"I wonder who they'll send?" Ayumi said, picking his way back through the scene "This late at night, they'll probably make some poor rookie do it."

The five of them sat together on the staircase. The café below was still open but none of them wanted to go down and sit there. The staircase was cold and the ground was hard and uncomfortable. Both Genta and Shinichi were beginning to feel sick and sleepy. The others had begun to sober up a little bit.

"What do you think they were looking for?" Mitsuhiko asked.

"We won't know anything until we're allowed inside." Genta lamented. "We can only see so much from out here."

"Maybe we should go upstairs to wait." Ran suggested, "The police won't arrive or a while." The all agreed but, as they turned to climb the staircase, the doorbell buzzed. Shinichi went down to open it while the others waited.

"Huh? Kubota-Keibu? Why'd they send you all the way down here for a robbery case?" He asked and stepped aside to reveal the police inspector. Ayumi, Genta and Mitsuhiko all tensed. The man grinned up at them, stepping in from the rain. He pulled off his wet coat and closed his umbrella. He didn't have any other officers with him.

"Looks like you're having a bad night," He said to the distraught inspectors, smiling. He pulled on a pair of gloves and surveyed the office for a moment from the doorway.

"Does anything look like it's missing?" He asked Shinichi.

"Not from here, our files are all kept locked up and there's nothing else of real value kept in the office." He said "Whoever was here was looking for something specific. If you look at the door, you can see where they broke the handle and the deadbolt to get in and—"

"Thank you, Kudo-tantei, I can handle the scene perfectly well on my own." Kubota interrupted. "Did anyone enter the room?"

"I did." Ayumi said "I ran in to see if our files had been breached."

"You contaminated the evidence, Ayumi-chan. You'd think you'd know better, being a former police inspector. Of course, it looks, and smells, like you were are drinking tonight. No accounting for a drunkard's behavior, I suppose." Kubota stepped into the room. Genta moved as if to speak but Mitsuhiko stopped him and silenced him. The two exchanged significant looks and remained silent. They watched him carefully. He began the arduous task of photographing and documenting the scene.

"We're going to go wait upstairs," Shinichi said coldly, "You can come up there to take our statement when you are all finished."

They settled on the floor around the table. Ran provided water for them to drink, to sooth any oncoming headaches or queasiness.

" _Ayumi-chan, Ayumi-chan_ ," Ran said, mocking Kubota "I ought to file a complaint about the disrespectful way he speaks. He has to right to call you in such a way. And to call you a drunkard? How rude!"

"He's a very rude man, indeed, but that isn't the most unsettling behavior from him." She said. "He wasn't treating that crime scene as he should have."

"We saw it, too." Genta said. Mitsuhiko nodded but didn't speak.

"He came alone and he didn't secure the scene." Shinichi said "That's police procedure. For all we know, the criminal was still hiding somewhere in the office. Kubota-san started investigating right away. Very bad police form."

"Do you think anything was stolen?" Ran asked "I'm trying to think but I can't imagine anything in the offices that a common thief would want to take. All our money and valuables are kept here. Not downstairs."

"If it as just a common thief, Ran-san, I would agree. I have a hunch that this may have something to do with our new case. It's too much of a coincidence that the same day that Genta-san brings us a high profile case to work, our offices are tossed." Mitsuhiko said. The others nodded in silent agreement. Ayumi gripped her cup hard, her knuckles white, and desperately replayed the image of the crime scene in her head. What could she deduce? What were the clues? Where is the truth behind the evidence?

Kubota reappeared and haphazardly took statements from each of them before leaving them to clean up the mess. They all went downstairs and saw the destruction waiting for them again, now with spots covered in fingerprint powder, and smelling of Kubota's body odor and cheap cologne. It was nearly three in the morning. The stood huddled together at the doorway.

"Maybe we should wait until tomorrow to clean up," Ran suggested kindly, "It's been a long night." As always, her motherliness washed over them and put them all at ease. They suddenly felt exhausted and agreed. It had been a long night. They shared a cab that took them to their respective homes. Ayumi sat in the back of the cab, her head leaning against Genta's shoulder, dozing. Genta's eyes were also shut, finally submitting to sleep. Mitsuhiko sat with his arms crossed as the rain fell down down down against the dark window. He was wide awake.


	19. The Case of the Beika Vampire Pt 6

The Next Day: Ayumi's Investigation

Ayumi's phone wailed. She jerked awake and, wrestling the tangle of sheets around her, tried to find the source of the noise. She clambered over to her bedside table. Someone was calling her. She tapped the screen and put the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" She asked blearily.

"Ayumi! Still in bed? It's nearly seven thirty. When you were an inspector, you were up at five every morning. Being a private detective has made you lazy!" He mother's voice came crisp and surly over the phone line. Ayumi smiled.

"Good morning, mama." She said.

"Good morning, Ayumi. I figured you must have been so very busy with your new detective game that you never have time to call your mother anymore so I must call you to see if my poor daughter hasn't been gunned down in the street by some low-down criminal."

"I'm sorry, mama." She answered respectfully "How have you been? And papa?" As her mother began to give her the usual stories of her father's laziness, her complaints of arthritis and the neighborhood gossip, Ayumi began to get ready for the day. As she chatted with her mother, she quickly combed her short hair and brushed her teeth.

"So tell me, Ayumi, have you met any nice boys?" Her mother prodded as Ayumi dug through her clothes.

"Not yet, mama." She said, rolling her eyes. Though she was only 27, her mother worried that Ayumi was going to end up a sour old shrew.

"What about that Genta-kun? He's still a police officer. That's a good steady job. And you've gotten along so well since you were children."

"Mama! Genta-san I are just friends and you know that." She told her. She heard her mother sigh dramatically.

"That Mitsuhiko-kun had such potential until he ended up a private detective, too." Her mother said "But still, I supposed he wouldn't be the worst son-in-law. At least he's respectful."

"Mama, I'm not going to date either of the boys. They might as well be my brothers." She said, "Besides, I'm still young. I have plenty of time."

"That's what you say now but before you know it, time will be gone and you'll be a lonely old woman! You hear me?"

"Yes, mama."

"And I already am an old woman. Your father is an old man. You won't have us around forever to be chasing you down. Don't you want to speak to your poor mother?"

"Yes, mama."

"Have you been dressing warmly in this bad weather? You can get terrible stomach illness this time of year. You been eating enough vegetables? Drinking enough water? You know how expensive those doctors can be. If you get ill, you call me up and I can tell you what to take to feel better."

"Yes, mama." Ayumi was nearly fully dressed and ready to leave the house. She was looking for her car keys as her mother continued.

"Speaking of this weather, have you checked the windows in your apartment? If you get a cold draft through the house, you could catch your death. That landlord of yours is a miser! You need to make sure the window seals are still good."

"Yes, mama." There was a long pause. Ayumi looked at the phone to make sure the connection hadn't been lost. The phone indicated the line was still open. She put the phone back to her ear.

"Mama, I've got a big case I'm on. I've got to head out but why don't I take you and papa out to dinner tomorrow night? We'll go to your favorite place. That place with the big fish tanks, remember? You still like that?" Ayumi said, slipping her feet into her shoes.

"Oh, well. I'd hate to inconvenience the big important detective." Her mother said stubbornly. Ayumi giggled.

"Of course not, mama. I'll tell you all the crimes I've solved and you can tell all the ladies at mahjong about it." Ayumi said "I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Okay. Goodbye, Ayumi-chan. Stay warm."

"Okay, mama. Goodbye."

Ayumi took up her pocket notebook where she had taken notes the previous day. The first crime scene she had to investigate was the murder of the first victim. An old woman named Kuga Usami had been walking home from the grocery store at dusk when she was stabbed six times. He body was discovered the next morning by the newspaper truck.

Ayumi walked outside, the ground still wet from last night's rain but the sky was clear. She zipped up her coat against the chill in the air and hailed a cab to take her to the scene, to learn what she could. However, when she arrived she wasn't surprised to find the ally way looking almost fully undisturbed. After all, the crime had been committed almost six weeks ago. She walked into the scene.

Tall buildings rose up on either side of her. At night, with no lights, she would be invisible to anyone crossing the sidewalk. There were no trashcans for the assailant to hide behind. Ayumi checked her notes. The woman had been attacked from behind. Why hadn't she heard someone approaching her?

"Hey, what're you doing here?" Came a gruff voice, startling Ayumi. She turned and saw a man in a pair of jean coveralls standing at the entrance of the ally.

"Oh! Hello." She said, "I'm a private detective. I'm looking into the death of Kuga-san. Do you work around here?"

"I work for the security company, here. The owners of this building asked me to install some lights here." He said, his mood changing for the better once he realized she had good intentions. He indicated the building on Ayumi's left. "I just got the materials in the mail today so I was gonna start installation."

"Don't let me stop you." Ayumi said.

"It's a terrible shame what happened," the man said conversationally "That poor grandmother didn't deserve what happened to her. That's why the bosses here want me to add some light to the ally, so it won't happen again."

"Were you here when she was found?" Ayumi asked as the man set a ladder against the brick wall. The man nodded.

"The newspaper truck was taking a short cut through this ally when their headlight lit up the scene. One of the men tried CPR while the other ran to my building. I was just unlocking the doors. I parked on the other side of the building, so I didn't know what had happened until he told me. I was the one who called the police and the ambulance. The doctors said it was too late, that she'd bled out a few hours before."

"Did you notice anything strange about the scene when you came to it?" Ayumi asked. The man laughed.

"Tantei-san, the whole thing was strange to a man like me. You might see things like that every day but I do not. I was in such a state of shock; I don't think I could move. Poor grandmother." He said again. He leaned against the ladder "But I'll tell you the same thing I told the police. Mind you, I'm no detective, but ain't it odd that the man wasn't seen? Wouldn't he have been covered in blood? Any taxi man would have called cops. He couldn't exactly walk down the street like that, either."

"You're right, that's very odd. You wouldn't be a half bad detective yourself." Ayumi said, smiling. She thanked the man, bowing slightly and he waved her goodbye. She added his comments to her notes and continued to her next scene, the murder of an eight-year-old boy that occurred six miles west of where she was now.

Riding in the cab, she noted the distance from where she'd been. Often, serial killers will begin their spree near their own communities and then widen their hunting grounds. If that were the case now, Ayumi was within the home district of the killer.

It was a crowded section of town, consisting of many bars and gambling halls. The people in this part of town worked mostly in the surrounding mills and factories, long had labor jobs. The houses were small and usually cramped with many generations of a family trying to make enough to get through the month. Ayumi, while at the police academy, had shared a room with a few other girls on this side of town. Often, teenagers would roam the streets and cause trouble or break into cars. It was a sad state of things.

The next scene was a small abandoned lot, overgrown with shrubs and weeds as high as Ayumi's waist. This is where eight year old Makino Sachi had been killed, stabbed nine times. He was discovered still alive by a neighbor but was declared dead on arrival at the nearest hospital. He had remained unconscious the entire time. It had happened only five days after the first murder, this time at dawn, while the boy was making his way to school.

The scene, being dirt, had been well trampled by emergency workers and police investigators. She faintly smelled where someone had poured bleach into the dirt and see where the soil had been turned to bury the bodily fluids. That was health and safety precaution, she knew, but it still frustrated her that she was not able to investigate the scene.

She spent a little time searching the grassy areas but found nothing other than old trash and rusty beer cans. She left the scene and knocked on the door of the neighbor who had reported the crime. She checked her notes for his name and address. There was no answer at the door but a small unshod child appeared from the side of the building.

"Hello," Ayumi said pleasantly. "Do you know Tada-san?"

The child nodded and disappeared. When they returned, an old man with a heavy limp and a cane was trailing behind.

"I am Tada-san." He wheezed.

"Hello. I am Yoshida-tantei and I was wondering if you could tell me about the murder you witnessed. I am working with the police to find the culprit." She said. The old man sat on the front stoop, exhausted from his exercise.

"I found that little baby over there." He pointed with his cane "Cut to ribbons and barely breathing. I called the ambulance and they tried their best but they couldn't save him. I seen a lot of things in my day. Been to war and back. Seen some terrible things, but that little baby laying all alone in his school uniform is the worst I ever saw."

"Did you know him?" Ayumi asked. The man shrugged.

"As much as I know any of the rugrats that run up and down these sidewalks all day. He weren't a bad boy. Never caught him smoking or smashing up car windows or anything like that. Did they ever find his book bag? His mother says that he had his bookbag for school, with his papers and things all inside, and she'd like to have it back."

"I didn't see a book bag, I don't think the police did either." Ayumi checked her notes. The boy had been stabbed in the back as well. The criminal must have removed the backpack to do that. Where would it have ended up? Would the criminal have kept it?

"I hope you catch that monster who did this." The man said seriously. "The poor little boys' spirit has been wandering up and down these streets every night. Let him go to rest, tantei-san. Give him some peace."

"I'll do my best." She said seriously and bid him good bye. The man sat on his front stoop, watching her go. She felt his pleading eyes as she walked down the sidewalk. She didn't fully believe in ghosts or restless spirits but felt a chill as she passed that empty lot again.

Ayumi returned to the office late in the afternoon, where Ran was still hard at work trying to put everything back in order. She had righted the furniture and was now working on clearing the debris from the carpet.

"Ah! Ayumi-chan! I wasn't expecting you today. Niether of the boys have been back yet." She said. Ayumi slid out of her shoes.

"My crime scenes weren't as fresh as theirs, so there wasn't as much to see." Ayumi said, "Do you need a hand?"

"Sure," Ran said and ushered her in. She provided Ayumi an apron and a pair of heavy rubber gloves. She warned her to be careful of the glass shards.

"I ordered new cabinets for you," She reported "These ones held up to one attack but may not hold up to another. They are supposed to be delivered later today. Kubota-kiebu called and said he had no leads on the robbery but would keep Shinichi informed."

"I'm sure he will." Ayumi said grumpily. She had no faith in that man to solve anything. They worked silently for a few minutes when the door opened, making them both look. It was Kogoro and Eri. Having heard about the break-in, they wanted to come by and check.

"Oh, look at this place." Lamented Kogoro "My old place all torn to hell."

"It's not that bad, otosan," Ran said optimistically "So far, nothing is missing. The only papers that were torn up were some newspapers and scratch paper Shinichi left on his desk."

"What about this?" Eri said, bending down and retrieving something from the floor.

"Careful, the glass." Ayumi warned.

"It's a part of a photo." Eri said "Of your father and I with you and Shinichi, torn right in half." She held the two pieces toward Ran. Indeed, it was the photo from the day that Kogoro officially retired and signed the agency over to Ran. Ayumi looked around. While many other frames had been torn from the walls, this was the only photo that was torn.

"How sad," Kogoro said.

"I think I have a copy save on my computer, I'll print another copy." Ran said.

"None of the other pictures were torn up. Were they?" Kogoro said, looking around. Ran shook her head. Ayumi felt this fact stick in her mind. Why this photo? Why the agency at all? How did this all connect to the Vampire case?


	20. The Case of the Beika Vampire Pt 7

The Next Day: Mitsuhiko's Investigation

Mitsuhiko rose without an alarm clock. It was barely five-thirty in the morning. He had gotten so accustomed to rising at this time that his body did it automatically anymore.

He had a spacious apartment, easily paid for by his old law firm. While he was no longer a practicing attorney with them, his severance pay and his stock investments were more than enough to pay for his wants and needs. Ayumi had left the police force with almost nothing, betting that the detective agency would be enough to get her through. Mitsuhiko had prepared a safety net for himself. He didn't like surprises.

He performed a few light stretches and ran a little on his treadmill. It would do no good to him to let himself get out of shape now that he was full time detective. He hadn't been able to spar in a few weeks. He was surprised to realize he missed it. Afterwards, he quickly showed and dressed and was out of the apartment before eight.

The first crime scene he saw was that of the murder of a young couple. The two men, Umeji Ogai and Makino Taisho, had been murdered while they were returning to work after lunch. It was broad daylight, never a good sign. That mean the murderer was getting more brazen. Initially, the police thought it was a hate crime but when the wounds on their bodies matched the same u-shaped wounds on the first two victims, it was concluded they were victims of the Beika Vampire.

They had been the first victims murdered indoors. They were found in the maintenance hallway of the office building where they worked. Their coworkers said this hallway was often used by employees, as it was close to the parking lot and by passed the busy entry way. There were no cameras installed in this area.

Mitsuhiko stepped out of his cab in front of the building. This was in the financial district of town, surrounded by high rise buildings and expensive sports cars. He greeted the door man and entered the building. His reflection stood beneath him in the polished floor as he waited for his contact. Soon, a man in a black high-fashion suit approached him and they exchanged introductions.

"I'm glad the police has the Mouri Agency on this. Umeji-san and Makaino-san were good men, good employees," he said. He motioned for Mitsuhiko to follow him.

"I've read the police report." Mitsuhiko said "You were the one who found the scene?"

"Yes. They hadn't returned from lunch, which was unusual. We thought maybe there was an accident or something. No one in the office imagined that something like…like this may have happened. I was going to the parking lot to smoke a cigarette when I found them." He said. He used his key card to open the hallway door.

"Who has access cards to this hallway? Are the entries tracked at all?" Mitsuhiko asked. The man sighed.

"The doors are all monitored and the central security system keeps a log of who swipes in and out…but the exterior door had been propped open with a small piece of wood. One of the custodians admitted he had done so for ease of entrance and exit while he was cleaning the back sidewalks and had forgotten. Poor man was so distraught by his oversight that he resigned from the company last week."

He opened the door and Mitsuhiko walked into a cramped hallway of cinderblock walls and concrete. It was mainly for custodial access to the basement. No polished floors here. The exterior door had no window on it. The fluorescent light popped into life overhead.

The hallway had been scrubbed clean but Mitsuhiko could see the scene clearly in his mind. Umeji had been stabbed in the neck from behind and fallen forward. When Makaino had turned to the assailant and tried to fight him off, he was stabbed several times in the chest and neck. He bled out after the murderer fled the scene. He was found lying next to Umeji, his hands on the man's neck, as if trying to apply pressure to the wound. It wouldn't have done any good, anyway. Umeji had been dead before he hit the ground.

"Why didn't Makaino call the police?" Mitsuhiko asked. The man pulled his cellphone from his pocket and showed the screen to Mitsuhiko.

"Concrete walls down here. No signal. His cellphone was next to him. He probably tried but couldn't get through."

Mitsuhiko inspected the floors and walls but nothing stood out to him as particularly instructive. He walked along the back paths that were indeed full of debris and dirt from a landscaping project.

"I don't see any new information here." Mitsuhiko said, returning to the man.

"Oh? That's a shame." The man said. Mitsuhiko smiled encouragingly.

"Don't worry; I'm not done investigating yet. I'm confident we'll find something. Please give me a call if you find out anything else." Mitsuhiko handed him his card. The man was disappointed but said nothing. Mitsuhiko told him good-bye and left.

The next scene he was headed to was that of a pair of students murdered as they left the loop line after school. Mitsugu Ao, age 13, and Kano Nayoko, age 6. The girls were discovered in a washroom. The police believed they were lured away from the crowds and murdered.

Mitsuhiko saw this obvious spike in behavior. The first murders had happened in seclusion and darkness, now the murderer was killing people in populated areas during daylight hours. This escalation was dangerous but the rapid increase in risk had also provided the investigators with additional evidence. At the train station, a boot print had been left behind in blood. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.

The train station, at this point in the afternoon, was bustling with people moving to and from the platform. The washroom was at the top of a stair case, separated from the rest of the crowds. It didn't appear busy but it was in plain view of passersby. Once again, no security cameras were near the bathrooms. Mitsuhiko entered the washroom.

It was very cramped. It would be nearly impossible to maneuver a weapon easily, without knocking one's elbows into a stall door or sink edge. The murderer must have walked away sufficiently battered. There was a push button handle lock on the entry door, most likely what the killer used to ensure he wouldn't be interrupted.

Why didn't the girl's scream? Mitsuhiko noted in his pocketbook. Maybe fear or threats? Were they drugged? How did the murderer blend back into the crowd? No matter how well he washed up, his clothes must have been soaked with blood. Between both children there were twenty-three stab wounds. He couldn't have just disappeared afterwards.

Mitsuhiko thought about the boot print that had been discovered. It was size 8 workbook, worn out treads indicated it was not a new pair of shoes. It had made a clear impression in the girl's blood, meaning he had not changed his shoes before leaving the scene. It seemed that any residual tracks had been trampled by the crowds, leaving no indication as to where the killer went next. Mitsuhiko knew that the police had checked the surveillance tapes but reported nothing unusual. He wondered if Genta would be able to get those for him to look at.

Mitsuhiko shuddered at the memory of the crime scene photos. The two girls sprawled on the floor, eyes open and vacant, blood matted in their hair. The evidence indicates that the older child was killed first and then the younger but both of them were stabbed many times after their death. Mitsuhiko looked at the ceiling above. Conspicuously white spots among the old discolored ceiling marked where the cast of blood had once been and them vigorously removed. Murders committed with a knife were always particularly messy.

 _Not a knife_ , Mitsuhiko reminded himself. The wounds on all of the Vampire's victims had been ragged cuts in a wide U-shape. Something that was metal and sharp enough to penetrate but not something that was precise or clean. It was also unusually large, the cuts all being about four inches long. In his research, Mitsuhiko wasn't able to match it to any sort of knife or tool he was aware of.

He closed his eyes and tried to picture the scenario. The younger girl was most likely following the older girl, who was being baited by the Vampire. He somehow persuaded them to follow him to the men's washroom. Once they were inside, he locked the handle. This meant he'd either stashed his weapon here ahead of time or was carrying it with him. Mitsuhiko could not imagine what one would say to a young child in order to convince them to follow him to a washroom.

Witnesses who gathered didn't remember seeing the children with anyone in particular, though many of them do remember seeing the girls in the station. They went to the same school and lived near each other, so they always rode the train together.

Unable to learn anything else, walking away with more questions than he had begun with, Mitsuhiko began his trek back to the office. He texted Genta about the tapes but didn't receive an immediate reply. Genta was most likely still on duty and wouldn't reply until he clocked out. It was after three already. The day was half gone and he hadn't gained anything interesting. He was hoping another look at the files might illuminate some facts for him.

He arrived at the offices and had just opened the door to the stairs when he spotted Eri descending them. She smiled at seeing him.

"Ah! Mitsuhiko-kun. How are you?" She asked, stopping to speak to him.

"Just fine, Mouri-shi. Thank you. Are you here visiting Ran-san?" He asked.

"Always so polite. Your parents must have been very strict." She teased him. Mitsuhiko often forgot his manners in the presence of Ayumi or Genta but fell back into them whenever he was alone. Eri went on, "I came to help Ran clean up the office. We've just about finished. Why don't you buy me a cup of coffee in the café? It's been a while since the two of us have caught up." Mitsuhiko agreed.

When he had decided to attend Law School, Eri had been ecstatic. He had been close with the Mouri family for many years by then and, with Genta and Ayumi well on their way to becoming police officers, Eri was glad to see Mitsuhiko take the same path as she had. They bought their coffee and settled down at a table together.

"So, there's no use in hoping you'll give up this detective work and go back to being a lawyer, is there? I had hoped I had a good influence over you." She asked. He laughed and scratched his head bashfully.

"Sorry to disappoint, Mouri-shi. I enjoyed my time in the courtroom. I would have never made it to my law firm without your recommendation." He said.

"Ayumi-chan tells me you all are working a particularly tough case right now. A serial killer." Eri said. Mitsuhiko nodded.

"It's complex but I have a feeling we'll be able to crack it." He said. He gave her a quick summation of the two crimes he had looked into that afternoon.

"Those poor children." Eri said, "Have you learned anything new?"

"Not yet, I'm going to go back through the case files when I head upstairs." Mitsuhiko said "I sure do miss having a paralegal around. Now I have to do all the research on my own!"

The two shared a laugh. Eri had indeed helped Mitsuhiko find a spot within a prestigious law firm in Beika but he was no slouch of a lawyer. He had earned straight A's through school and graduated with honors. In the courtroom, Mitsuhiko's cool demeanor and careful examination of evidence had won him more cases than he'd lost. He was well known to arrive before sunrise at the offices and not leave until nearly midnight when he was on an active case. He was rumored to be the next in line for partnership had he not resigned.

"Kogoro had mentioned the case to me. He's been following it in the papers and on the news. Very little information is being given to the public." Eri said. Mitsuhiko nodded again

"Very little information is available. The police barely have anything to go on." He said "Hopefully Ayumi-san and Genta-san have found more than I have."

"Ayumi-chan is upstairs now." Eri told him. "She'll point you in the right direction. She always has."

"What's that mean?" Mitsuhiko said, blushing.

"Ayumi-chan has been dragging Genta-kun and you around by your ear since you were in preschool!" Eri teased. He smiled bashfully and did not argue. She straightened and said "You go on, now."

"Well, if you say so, Mouri-shi." Mitsuhiko dropped a few bills on the table and trotted up the staircase. Eri cradled her chin against her fist. When had they all grown up? Barely adults and chasing down murderers. That look in his eyes, though. Yes, she'd seen that look many times. Just like Kogoro and, later, Shinichi would have in the middle of a big case. It meant that these crimes would not go unpunished.

Mitsuhiko opened the door of the office. Inside, Ran was polishing the windows while Ayumi sat at her desk.

"Mitsuhiko!" Ayumi said, without looking up "What did you learn?"

"Not as much as I'd hoped." He answered, hanging up his coat. He produced his notebook and he read to her the notes he had made.

"I had the same problems," Ayumi answered. "It seems like this guy commits his crimes and just disappears."

"People don't just disappear. We just aren't looking in the right places." Mitsuhiko said.

"A lot of people disappear in plain sight." Ran chimed in. "How many times have you forgotten a waiter's face? Or a Taxi driver? Maybe who you're looking for does a job like that, one where people aren't always paying a lot of attention to them." She turned around to looked at them. She scowled hard at Mitsuhiko and put her hands on her hips.

"After all this cleaning and you track dust on the carpet?" She demanded. Mitsuhiko looked and saw a trail of dust from the hem of his pants to the door. He cowered under Ran's gaze and quickly went to find the vacuum.


	21. The Case of the Beika Vampire Pt 8

The Next Day: Genta's Investigation

Genta woke up feeling very sick the next day. He swallowed a bottle of corner store hangover cure but it was doing little to ease his misery as he walked into the police station. He slunk down into his desk. A stack of papers waited for him but a rising commotion caught his attention.

A few desks away from his, Kubota stood over a young police cadet. She had tears in her eyes. She was nodding and giving Kubota periodic shaky "Yes, Keibu-san" responses as he spoke. He was getting louder, drawing most of the attention in the room. Kubota tossed a handful of papers to the floor. The sheets fluttered down around the two of them.

"This is the worst police report I've ever seen!" He shouted "It isn't worth the paper you wrote it on! It's worse than trash! If you don't straighten up, I'll have you written up. Do you understand me? Now, clean up this mess and do it again!" With that, Kubota turned on his heel and stalked away. The cadet kneeled and started to pick up the papers.

Genta stood from his chair and approached her. He knelt down and began to help her retrieve her papers.

"Thank you, Keiji-san," The woman said, fighting back sobs. Genta handed her a stack of papers and offered a bracing smile.

"Don't worry about him. He always treats everyone like this. I'm sure your report was just fine." Genta told her.

"Thank you, Keiji-san," She said again, clutching the papers with one hand and wiping her face with the other. The two stood. Genta despised the way Kubota threw his weight around. Sure, Genta was no stranger to making new recruit fetch him coffee or sending them on tedious calls. However, unlike Kubota, Genta knew that a strong police force was built on a strong community within the station. While a little bit of initial teasing built officers up, Kubota seemed intent on tearing them down.

"Ah! Kojima-keiji! I was looking for you. Why aren't you at your desk?" Sato was walking towards them.

"A cop can't walk around the officer anymore?" He replied, half-serious. Sato held back a smile. The new recruit looked terrified. Genta forgot that most people only considered Sato as a boss. A fierce one, at that.

"Have you gotten any more information on that special assignment I gave you?" She asked.

"I'm looking into it today," he said.

"Be sure that you do. Give me a report as soon as you have anything new." She turned to leave but Genta stopped her.

"Would we be able to get a copy of the collected surveillance?" Genta asked. Sato considered a moment.

"I'll see what I can do." She promised and left him at that. Genta bid goodbye to the new recruit. She turned a deep red before mumbling a goodbye and taking off to her own desk. Genta retrieved what he needed and headed out to look into the two most recent Vampire murders.

Genta stepped into his police car. He wondered if it were a good idea to be driving in a cruiser but since he was on the clock he didn't have much of an option. He pulled out of the station parking lot and onto the busy city streets.

The scene he was going to investigate involved a 22-year-old woman named Domen Kotone. She had been stabbed 17 times with the peculiar u-shaped weapon, consistent with the other murders. However, she had been in her room when she was murdered. The killer had broken into her apartment building and then into her home to kill her. The blood evidence also showed that she had remained alive much longer than the other victims. The coroner estimated she had been alive for as long as thirty minutes before the final wound was inflicted. She also had bruises on her wrists and ankles that indicated that she had been bound.

Genta knew the escalation was dangerous. The first victims has been frail or young, had been in isolation and the crime was committed quickly followed by the Vampire immediately fleeing. Then the areas became less isolated, the victims less vulnerable. Now he was planning ahead, being more methodical. He was getting better at what he did. Genta gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. It should never have been allowed to go this long. Someone should have caught him. The Agency should have been brought in sooner.

The traffic inched forward and eventually Genta reached the apartment building he was looking for. It was a high-rise not too far from the station. He'd been inside a few times on noise complaints and some domestic violence calls. It wasn't a terrible neighborhood. People were comfortable in their homes. Genta buzzed the door and was let in by the care taker.

The red crime scene tape still sealed the door, meaning the scene hadn't been released yet to the clean-up companies. The scene was getting old, already nearing its sixth day, and would have to be released soon but Genta had a feeling that Sato had pushed for the extension. A police officer loitered near the door, phone in hand. He called out.

"Hey! Keiji-san! How's it going?" He said affably. The man looked up from his phone and smiled. What a boring duty, Genta thought to himself.

"Hey there!" The man shook his hand heartily. "Does this mean I'm relieved?"

"Afraid not, I'm here to check the scene," Genta said.

"They've already had forensics in and out. Kubota-san's been here a few times. I can't imagine there's much left for you to look at," The man said. Genta nodded.

"When was the last time Kubota-san was here?" He asked. The cop picked up his clipboard and checked the log.

"Not for three days, according to this," He replied. Genta took the clipboard and signed himself into the crime scene. The officer took a moment to check the form. He handed Genta a facemask and a pair of disposable booties and gloves. Genta put on the protective gear and braced himself as the officer cut open the tape sealing to door shut.

The blood didn't surprise Genta the way it used to when he was a rookie. But the terrible stomach churning smell of death and decay, that still hit him every time. It took the air out of him. Even through the mask, the smell was pungent. He took a step into the room and took a moment to adjust himself.

The cast-off blood had been well documented by the forensics team. The act of swinging a weapon around left a plethora of evidence. The futon on the floor had been left, which surprised Genta. It should have been bagged and taken as evidence. Who knows what sorts of traces were left on it? It could contain hair or DNA or fibers. He made a note to send someone to come pick it up. As it lay, the middle of the futon had a deep pool of old blood where the woman had finally bled out and died.

Genta started at the doorway. It was determined that the window didn't open wide enough for anyone to enter, as the wood had swollen in the humid weather. The killer would have stood where Genta stood now. He checked his notes. The killer had entered at approximately 11:30pm that night and woke Domen. No one heard a scream and it was likely her lungs were punctured before she had the opportunity to call out for help. The lock and door handle were both intact.

Genta moved forward and examined the futon more closely. There was a phone charger plugged into the wall that ended at the pillows. She was probably on her phone when the attacker entered. There was a rectangular void in the blood near her pillows. Genta looked but didn't see the cell anywhere in the apartment. He didn't remember a phone being listed with the collected evidence. He looked away from the bed at the small television stand. The TV was old and clunky. The bookshelf contained mostly textbooks and cheap novels. The table was littered with soda cans and fast food wrappers filled the trashcan. Genta felt a cold chill. This could easily be a recreation of his own apartment. He turned his attention to the kitchen.

It didn't look like the attacker had entered this room at all. The dishes were drying on the rack, waiting to be put away. A grocery list, never to be attended, was left hanging on the fridge. A small ceramic pig rested on the back of the sink. No cell phone anywhere. He opened one of the kitchen cabinets. Rice, packaged meals, boxed dinners. He returned to the crime scene.

A small potted plant rested in the corner of the room, near the door. Some soil had been knocked onto the floor. He inspected closer. A few of the tendrils were bent. He knelt next to it and saw a small black scuff mark on the wall behind it.

"Look at that," He said to the officer. The officer peered over his shoulder. Genta lean closer and found a small black piece of plastic in the dirt of the pot.

"What's that?" The man asked. Genta only shrugged and bagged it.

He had reason to believe the phone had been thrown from the bed to where here. Someone picked it up. The killer? Why hadn't anyone tried to trace the number? He felt a twinge of anger. How did the officers on scene miss such a basic clue? He made a few notes in his own pocket notebook. He looked around the plant a little more and saw a small strange pair of scissors on the floor.

"What're those?" He asked. The handles were thick and plastic. The blades were short but pointed. The blades looked like two half circles.

"Garden snips." The officer said "For trimming plants."

"Really?" Genta said.

"Sure, hand-held ones like that are good for little houseplants or bushes." The officer said. Genta felt a nagging sensation about them. He instructed the officer to bag them as well.

"I think that's all I need right now." Genta said and bid the officer goodbye. He signed himself out of the log sheet, disposed of his protective gear, and left the officer to resealing the doorway. He waved politely to the caretaker who was now outside attending to the flower garden. Genta spotted several freshly placed shrubs and flowers and the voids were more would be placed. The air out here smelled of earth and coming rain. Genta hoped it would wash away the scent of the crime scene but knew the stink would stay on him for the rest of the day, until he took off his uniform. Death clung to him, even in the beautiful afternoon weather.

"Hope you found what you were looking for." The care taker said.

"I hope so, too. You're flowers look very nice." Genta said. The old man smiled and thanked him. Genta cut across the lawn back to his car and set off for the river, where the fresh graves of the last two victims were waiting for him.

Genta knew the river well. They had played there often as children. He remembered again Edogawa Conan and that girl, Ai. His errands at the river then were preferable to the one he was taking now. They played baseball on the banks, would dip their toes in in the summer time. Would drop in homemade fishing poles with hopes of catching the fish that wouldn't dare brave a city river.

Genta parked and started the short walk to river bank. He took the steep winding path down. The trail was muddied with dozens of footprints by now. A boot print had been found that matched the one in the train station.

The scene, thankfully, had been preserved under a waterproof tent. Like the apartment building, it was guarded by a single bored looking officer on a folding chair. He smiled and waved at Genta.

"How's it?" Genta asked.

"Not too bad. Had to chase away a few sight seers earlier but no one gave me any trouble." The officer reported. Genta, as before, signed himself in on the clipboard, suited himself with booties and gloves. Here, in front of him now, were only two gaping hole in the fertile summer soil. The graves were shallow, barely enough to cover the bodies, and dug with a standard garden shovel. The soft soil of riverbank had made that easy work. The bank was close enough to the road that transporting two bodies down the path could be easily accomplished if the suspect was fit and healthy.

Genta knelt by the smaller of the graves. The two victims were Konda Gidayu, a two year old child, and his mother, Konda Mura. She was a young single mother who was engaged to a nice man. The grave was hardly two and a half foot long. Genta felt a nausea that had nothing to do with his hangover.

The case file said the child was stabbed thirteen times and the mother was stabbed sixteen. By the time they were found here, their bodies had nearly no blood left. Which means, somewhere in the street of Beika city, was a very gruesome crime scene waiting to be stumbled upon. Genta shuddered at the thought.

The larger grave was that of the mother. It was deeper, but not by much. The murderer hadn't taken too much time to hide these bodies. He was looking to discard them as quickly as possible. But why the note to police?

The drawing was crude and childish, in ballpoint pen. Two horizontal lines were labeled "river" and two more lines named the street that ran parallel to the river at this point. There was small indication of a bridge and an arrow pointing at it labeled "1 km East" and then the two x's that indicated the victims' bodies. The map was simplistic almost to being indecipherable. This did not look to be done on purpose but out of ignorance. The characters for "river" and "bridge" were not drawn in an adult like hand, but formed more like a child would do so. The same was said for the threatening letter.

"Not much." He grunted to the officer who nodded in answer. He shed his protective gear and signed himself out of the scene.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he saw a text message from Mitsuhiko, asking for the surveillance tapes. He tapped a quick response, stating he'd already requested them from Sato. Once back in his car, he dialed Sato's number.

"Genta-kun!" She said happily. She must have been alone in her office, to address him as such.

"Sato-san, I'm just leaving the river scene now. Any luck on getting us those tapes?" He asked.

"I'll arrange a viewing for you and the other Detective Boys in about two hours, you'll have to come down here so they can be signed out of evidence and watched on the close circuit television," She told him.

"Sato-san, we're real detectives now. We work for Kudo-san. You don't have to call us the Detective Boys anymore," He said blushing.

"Oh, Genta-Kun. You'll always be the Detective Boys to me! I'll see you all in about two hours, okay?" She said. Genta agreed and hung up the phone. What an embarrassingly sentimental woman she was.


	22. The Case of the Beika Vampire Pt 9

"Genta!" Mitsuhiko said when Genta arrived at the office "Please tell me you got more information out of those fresh scenes than we got out of ours."

Genta told them the events of his day and found them depressingly lacking. They all felt that they hadn't learned anything new at all. Ayumi stood from the sofa, her hands on her hips and her face set in a scowl, announced that they must be missing something. She began to pace back and forth, arms crossed.

"What do we already know?" She demanded.

"We know the Vampire has killed nine victims in the same manner but with no other similarities." Genta reported.

"The victims are as follows: Okimoto Tsukiko, aged 73. Attacked as dusk walking home from a nearby grocery store. Makino Sachi, aged eight. Killed on his way to school at dawn. Umeji Ogai and Makino Taisho, aged 33 and 34. Killed around 1pm coming back to work from a lunch date. Mitsugu Ao and Kano Nayoko, aged 13 and 6. Killed approximately 5pm after getting off a train from school. Domen Kotone, aged 22 killed in her home at midnight. Finally, Konda Gidayu, and his mother, Konda Mura, aged two and 20. Killed in an unknown location, bodies recovered the day before yesterday near the river." Mitsuhiko rattled off. He had a memory for names.

Ayumi pushed her fingers against her temple. They were all missing something obvious but they couldn't be sure.

"Ah! Genta-kun! I just finish cleaning and you track dirt in here again." Ran interrupted. Sure enough, a trail of dust followed Genta to where he sat. Ran set down the tray of fresh snacks she had brought and glared at him.

"I'm sorry, Ran-san." He said quickly "I must have tracked it from the apartment building. The caretaker there was doing some gardening and some must have gotten on the hem of my pants."

"Between you and Mitsuhiko dragging in dirt everywhere, I feel like I'm chasing children again!" She admonished. Mitsuhiko began to tell Genta that he had made the same mistake but Ayumi interrupted him.

"Guys!" She said "Are we going to sit around and chat about flower gardens when we should—" She stopped in the middle of her scolding and frantically pulled her notebook from her pocket "They were doing weed control at the lot that I was this morning. I had dirt on my slacks as well, but beat it off before coming here."

"Well, it's June. Everyone is doing yard work now." Genta said, shrugging.

"That's not what she means, Genta! If all of our scenes involved recent landscaping work, we may have found our common factor!" Mitsuhiko said. He opened his notebook, "Look, the train station was doing work and the office building was as well. The janitor who had left the door propped was cleaning garden debris from the sidewalks."

"Both the apartment building and the zoo were undergoing beautification!" Genta said but then his face fell, "But, they weren't using the same services. The zoo was using the Sunshine landscapers; they were all interviewed by the police. But the apartment building had the work being done by the caretaker." They inspected their files and each heaved a sigh.

The companies they had seen were indeed different from each other. That wasn't the commonality after all. Ran began to clean the dust from the carpet with a small handheld vacuum. They were all too entrenched in their thoughts to feel embarrassed by their messy behavior. Genta told the others that maybe the security tapes would hold more information for them but he did not sound as hopeful as he wanted.

Ran sat down on the sofa next to Ayumi. She glanced over the papers spread before them on the table. What a sad state of affairs the world seemed to be in. Of course, growing up with her father and being married to Shinichi had always reminded her that the world wasn't the kind place she wished it was.

"How can someone make themself so invisible in a city full of so many people?" Mitsuhiko asked aloud. Ran shuffled the papers back and forth, delicately avoiding the gruesome photos scattered throughout.

"Maybe they were day laborers." She said, making the three look up. Ran indicated the names of the companies in front of her.

"Look, they were all using different landscaping companies but often companies use day laborers for physical work." She explained. "After a storm had blown heavy branches around the building last fall, my parents recommended calling one of these companies to send some laborers over to clear it up."

"I've worked union cases for landscapers," Mitsuhiko said, encouraged by Ran's train of thought "When they went on strike, they were all replaced with temporary labor. But many of those workers were drifters and paid in cash. It would be difficult to take any one man down."

"Not impossible, though." Genta said "What about the site managers? Or the payroll department? Maybe someone remembers a strange character."

"Not only that, we can use the surveillance tapes to identify anyone who appears at more than once scene." Ayumi said triumphantly. The three exchanged glances.

"We'll have this guy beat by the end of the day!" Genta announced confidently. Mitsuhiko found himself nodding in agreement.

When the time came, the three of them rode together in a cab to the police station where Sato had set up a viewing station for them in an empty interrogation room. They walked together into the police station where Ayumi was greeted with many friendly faces and even Mitsuhiko was met with kind familiarity. Sato found them stalled by a few female officers begging Ayumi to return to the force.

"Sato-san!" Ayumi said, spotting her. She took the older woman in her arms without hesitation "I feel like it's been ages."

"I've got the tapes you requested but it isn't much." She said, returning Ayumi's hug, "Most of the places didn't have cameras. The train station had a camera near the station entrance, the zoo as well and then I have one from the business building where the couple was murdered, showing the reception desk only." She led them away from the other cops and down a secluded hallway towards the interrogation rooms. She opened one of the doors and waved them in

"Sparse," Mitsuhiko noted. "But maybe our best shot." They settled around the small metal table. Sato hovered near the doorway. The three detective crowded together around the old television that had been provided, hooked up to a portable DVD player with dusty wires. Ayumi inserted the first disc and they held their breath.


	23. The Case of the Beika Vampire Pt 10

The screen buzzed dimly to life. This was video from the office building that Mitsuhiko had visited. The receptionist sat at her desk nicely, tapping away a computer or speaking in a phone. With no sounds available on the tape, it played like a mime show. Ayumi toggled the controls and played the video at double speed.

Mostly men in suits were walking to and fro but she slowed the tape where a group of men in work coveralls approached the desk. There was a short conversation and then the receptionist began to stick small visitor tags on the workers one by one. The three studied those faces carefully but the camera was too far away and the men were nearly indistinguishable from each other.

With resignation, they moved to the next disc. The main gate of the city zoo appeared in front of them. On this angle, they could see only the backs of men as they dug into the front flower gardens.

The last disc was the crowded image of the train station, near the ticket taker. It was the camera nearest to the bathroom, Sato explained. The sea of people blended together into a mass. Genta growled in frustration.

"Who requested these tapes?" He demanded "Where are the rest? We should have all the exit tapes, all the entrance tapes, all the key card records, who's the managing investigator on this, Sato-san and when can I pummel him? He should have sent these officer back for more!"

"The case is being headed by Kubota-san." She answered flatly. The three detectives felt the temperature of the room shift. They looked at each other and to Sato, who offered no other information. Mitsuhiko heaved a meaningful sigh.

"Sato-san, if you wanted us to double his check his work, you could have simply asked." He told her. She raised her chin defiantly.

"Why I hired the Mouri detective agency has nothing to do with Kubota-san." She said unconvincingly. Knowing better than to argue with her, they returned to the screen. They scanned frame after frame until their eyes were sore. They replayed each of the discs over and over, gaining no new information when Ayumi cried out.

"There!" She said, pausing the film and jabbing her finger at the screen. The others quickly moved in to look at the fuzzy image.

"Ayumi-chan," Genta groaned "That's a woman. I'm pretty sure the criminal is a man."

"No! We know her, Mitsuhiko. She was the one who came to the office with complaints about a groper. Remember?" Ayumi said, nudging him. He tilted his head and looked at the screen. There, at the entrance to the zoo, was indeed the young woman he'd met with before.

"So what?" Genta said.

"She told us the man who accosted her," Mitsuhiko said, realization dawning on him, "worked at her office as a grounds keeper!"

"Seriously?" Genta leapt to his feet and punched the air "We've got it, guys! We've got a real lead! Sato-san, get me a patrol car! We'll go question her right now!"

"Calm down," Ayumi-chan said "We've got all her information at the office. We'll call her and set a meeting. Sato-San-"

"Thank you for what you've done but I need to go write up all the new evidence you've found." Sato cut her off abruptly and left the room. Ayumi looked after her, hurt and confused.

"What in the world is going on?" She said.

"Probably some dumb department politics." Genta said dismissively "Come on, let's get moving on this clue." They nodded and, gathering their things, left the room. Genta walked his friends out of the station and returned to his desk for the remainder of his shift. The two climbed in a cab together and headed back to the agency where their papers were all waiting for them.

"You think he's the one?" Mitsuhiko asked as they drove.

"I think we've got reason to bring him in, but no evidence. If his boots match the boot print, I'd be happier. If we had more evidence, if we knew the murder weapon, I'd call him guilty," Ayumi answered. The sun was going down. It would be night soon and another day will have passed with the Beika Vampire still on the streets.

They arrived back at the offices to see that Shinichi had returned from his own case. They greeted him and Mitsuhiko pulled the woman's number from his files. After a brief conversation, an appointment was set for early the next morning. The moon rising over the city was full and bright, a shining beacon outside their otherwise darkened windows. Shinichi stood from his desk first, at nearly ten o' clock, and bid them goodnight. They returned it. Ayumi glanced at her watch as the door shut behind Shinchi.

"I'm nearly through with mine." Ayumi said "What about you?"

"I think that's about it for me." Mitsuhiko said. He shut his laptop and rubbed his eyes with his fingertips. Ayumi stretched her arms over her head, arching her back deeply to try and sooth her tired muscles.

"I don't like walking away from this," Ayumi said.

"There's nothing we can do until tomorrow," He told her.

Ayumi nodded and Mitsuhiko offered to share a cab home with her. They stepped into the back of a car together, driving away from the agency. Ayumi could see Ran's apartment lights. She folded her arms and, without meaning to, drifted to sleep against Mitsuhiko.

Mitsuhiko allowed his friend to sleep undisturbed for the ride, until they reached her apartment. When the drive pulled in front of the building, Mitsuhiko shook her gently.

"Ayumi-chan." He said sleepily "It's time to get up. Ayumi-chan, you're home."

Ayumi didn't respond to Mitsuhiko's jarring. The cab driver made an impatient noise and Mitsuhiko apologized.

"Ayumi-chan, come on! You have to wake up." He said more firmly. He shook her shoulder more roughly now and sighed in annoyance. This girl always could sleep through anything.

"Ayumi!" He nearly shouted. Ayumi finally opened her eyes and rubbing them innocently, asked "Am I home?"

"Yes, Ayumi-chan. We just arrived. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Mitsuhiko said. Ayumi bid him goodnight and stumbled her way into her building and into her dark apartment before falling asleep fully clothed on the bedspread.


	24. The Case of the Beika Vampire Pt 11

Ayumi was jolted awake again by the sound of her ringing telephone. She found it still in her pants pocket.

"Hello?" She said, her face still buried in pillows, her eyes shut.

"What in the world did you three do?" Came an angry demand over the phone. Ayumi tugged the phone away from her ear.

"What?" She asked, sitting up. She rubbed her eyes, trying to focus on the voice coming through the phone. She looked at the face of her phone again. It was four in the morning. The caller ID told her it was Sato on the other end.

"Ayumi, you three are on the second page of this morning's paper," Sato said, the anger in her voice dissipating "Do you get the paper?"

"No, let me check their website. I'm putting you on speaker," _Who gets the paper anymore?_ Ayumi thought to herself. She quickly accessed the local news website and searched for the article as Sato spoke.

"Someone has a vendetta against you," Sato said. Ayumi felt her stomach drop.

" _Defunct Mouri Detective Agency Making a Mockery of Police_ " the headline announced. Ayumi skimmed the first few paragraphs as Sato went on.

"Listen to this," Sato said and Ayumi heard a rustling of paper " _'The once prestigious, now laughably outdated, job of private eye has been taken up by two defectors from the Beika police force and one anti-cop lawyer. These vigilante crime fighters do nothing but impede to work of real law officers and should be arrested for criminal interference, says our anonymous source. Our source says the Mouri Detective Agency is slowing the apprehension of a serial stabber in the local area._ '"

"It gets worse than that," Ayumi said scrolling down on her phone " _'The current and controversial Chief Inspector, Miwako Sato, has allowed these dangerous vigilantes access to confidential case files and, in doing so, has put the city at risk. Our source says that the atmosphere inside the department is now one of betrayal and anger for her distrust of loyal Beika Police officers._ ' Controversial? Sato-san, this might as well be a gossip column. Half of this isn't even true!"

"True or not, the public loves a scandal." Sato sighed deeply "If we don't catch the Vampire and soon, we'll both have angry mobs outside our doors demanding answers. I've already had calls from three reporters demanding to know why I've put civilians on the case. How close are you to breaking this one?"

"We still need evidence. All we've got right now are theories." Ayumi said.

"Find that evidence, Ayumi-chan, and find it fast. You call me the second you know anything," Sato said.

"I will," Ayumi promised and bid Sato goodbye. Her stomach churned with anger and disappointment. Who could have leaked this? She read the article again, more carefully this time. It was short but did a good job of dragging both Sato and the agency through the dirt. Ayumi found herself shaking when her phone rang again. The caller ID spelled out Genta's name. She answered it.

"Did Sato already tell you?" She said, answering without saying hello.

"I just got off the phone with her." Genta replied "This is bullcrap! Now the Vampire knows we're looking for him. We'll be lucky if he isn't on a plane out of the country already."

"I'll be at the office in twenty-five minutes." Ayumi said and Genta agreed. Ayumi showered and dressed in a hurry. When she arrived at the office, she opened the door to find not only Genta and Mitsuhiko waiting for her but Shinichi and Kogoro as well. The men were standing huddled together around Shinichi's desk, the case files in front of them. They looked as haggard as she did, roused just as suddenly this early in the morning by such bad news hadn't left any of them in a good temperament.

"I take it everyone knows then." She said, stepping into the room. They moved apart slightly to allow her space at the desk.

"Did you see what they wrote?" Kogoro demanded angrily "They called my agency defunct! I can't have you brats running around and ruining my good name."

"We didn't ruin anything, old man!" Genta said. Ayumi could see that his face was red. They must have been arguing well before she arrived. Even Mitsuhiko, usually calm and collected, was white knuckled and tight-lipped. "Someone leaked our investigation to the press. There's a rat in the force!"

"I can't believe you three took on such a large case without consulting me. I am the head of this agency." Shinichi said sternly.

"We agreed that we would be able to pick our own clients," Mitsuhiko snapped "No one ever said you had to be copied on all the materials."

Suddenly the five of them were bickering loudly. No one could make sense of each other and everyone was blaming someone else for the mistakes made. Kogoro demanded his good name be cleared, Shinichi saying he would not be disrespected at this level, Genta arguing that the two old men should keep their noses in their own business, Mitsuhiko citing complex reasons why they couldn't be held accountable and, finally, Ayumi, shouting that they had to solve the case now, before things got any worse. For several minutes there was nothing but loud voices and the pointing of fingers until a firm voice rose above the others.

"That is quite enough!" It said, silencing them all. They all froze, knowing that voice and knowing exactly what it mean for them if they were to disobey it. They turned and saw the threatening presence in her apron, carrying a tea tray. Ran glared at all of them and set the tray down sternly.

"Look at all of you, fighting like alley cats! You should be ashamed of yourselves!" She reprimanded. The five of them became very contrite and lowered their heads as Ran continued "Now, if you aren't going to solve any problems here today I may as well send you all home. You are supposed to be detectives, not school children. Now, act like it!"

"Yes, Ran. Sorry, Ran," They all mumbled and bowed their heads apologetically.

"Good. Now come sit down and speak like civilized people." She instructed them. They all sat on the couches together, the three Detective Boys facing Kogoro and Shinichi. Ran crossed her arms and stood over them like a referee at a boxing match. Kogoro huffed defiantly and stuck a cigarette in his mouth. They looked sidelong at each other, trying to soothe their hurt feelings with Ran's admonition and her warm coffee. As always, her presence was both the gentle guidance and violent shove they needed.


	25. The Case of the Beika Vampire Pt 12

The sun was barely cresting over the horizon. There morning commute was beginning and the sidewalks were still nearly empty. The five detectives looked at one another. Ran sat down beside Shinichi, her presence preserving the truce between them. With their anger abated, they all felt a mutual drive of determination. The room buzzed with the fires of resolve. They would not let the slander stand, they would not allow the Vampire go free and they definitely would not stop now.

"What time is your appointment with the witness?" Kogoro asked, fishing a pack of cigarettes from his coat pocket.

"Not until six," Mitsuhiko said "She said she would come by before she reported to her job. That's not for another hour."

"What evidence do you have?" Shinichi asked, leaning forward.

"Very little," Ayumi admitted. The three related the facts of the case to Kogoro and Shinichi, who listened intently. As Genta told of his visit to the slain woman's apartment, Kogoro interrupted.

"Breaking and Entering?" He asked "That doesn't fit the pattern at all. Why would she be the only one who was murdered at home?"

"We think it's escalation." Ayumi replied.

"No, no…It doesn't match. If it was part of his pattern, the next victim would also be in their home but the next two were abducted from a public place." Kogoro said.

"But the murder weapon was found in her apartment," Shinichi told him "He may not be following a textbook escalation pattern but the weapon is consistent."

"Murder weapon?" Genta repeated "I didn't find a murder weapon." Shinchi restrained a grin and shook his head. He wagged his finger good-naturedly at the three young detectives.

"You look but you do not observe, Watson." He said, quoting his favorite detective "Genta-kun, your gut told you to bag those plant shears for one reason. You knew the shape because you'd seen it a dozen times on each of the victims. Look-" Shinichi pulled his pocket notebook and quickly sketched the blades of the plant shears as Genta had described them. "If you took this set of blades and plunged them into someone while closed, the resulting wound would be a tell-tale wide U-shape due to the curvature of the individual halves."

"Oh! You're right!" Mitsuhiko said, impressed. "And if the man is a grounds keeper, it wouldn't be at all suspicious for him to be carrying garden shears with him." Shinichi nodded and tucked the notebook away. As they finished catching up Kogoro and Shinichi they heard a timid knock at the door. They looked at each other and Mitsuhiko rose to answer it.

A small-framed nervous woman of about twenty stood at the doorway. She was gripping her purse and looked between the expectant faces of the detectives.

"Sasaki-san," Mitsuhiko said kindly "Thank you for meeting us on such short notice."

"You're welcome, Tsuburaya-tantei." She said and stepped into the room. The men stood and let her sit on the couch opposite Ayumi. She shifted nervously and glanced at all the expectant faces around her. Kogoro stepped forward, charm dripping from his movements.

"Alright little lady, you just tell us everything you know about this madman and we'll have his thrown in jail before breakfast." He said smoothly "Have no fear. The Great Sleeping Kogoro is on your case and will not rest until you're safe again."

"The sleeping who?" Sasaki asked innocently. Kogoro's charm evaporated as he stumbled for words.

"The Great…I'm…Mouri Kogoro?" He sputtered.

"Does he work for you, Tsuburaya-tantei?" She asked, turning to Mitsuhiko. Shinichi patted Kogoro on the back consolingly.

"Hard luck, old timer." He joked. Mitsuhiko sat down with Sasaki and shot them a silencing glance. The other three men resigned themselves to milling around the desk.

"Sasaki, we asked you here because we want to show you a video." Mitsuhiko said gently "And you can tell us if you recognize your attacker. He may be wanted for other crimes."

"I did seem him." She said, before the disc began to play.

"Where?" Mitsuhiko asked eagerly.

"At the zoo, that day." She said "He was inside the zoo, clearing bushes along the back wall. He was loading branches into a big work van. He startled me so badly that I went straight home."

"Sasaki-san, do you think you'd be able to describe him to a police artist?" Mitsuhiko asked but Sasaki shook her head.

"I'm no good at that." She said "I'm afraid I'd mess it all up. Why don't you meet him yourself. He's still slated to be working at our office building for two more days."

"You mean he's going to be there today?" Mitsuhiko asked. Sasaki nodded and looked at her watch.

"He's probably there already. They usually show up around five a.m." She said.

"Hot damn!" Kogoro whooped, startling everyone "You take us there. We've got ourselves a criminal to arrest."

"Calm down, _ojisaan_ , we need to notify the police." Genta said. "They'll be the ones to take him in for questioning."

"Why don't I escort you to work, Sasaki-san?" Mitsuhiko offered "I'll make sure you get there safely and keep an eye on this man until the authorities arrive." She nodded and Mitsuhiko lead her to the door. As he was leaving, he added "Kojima-keiji, please call Miawako-keibu right away."

Mitsuhiko ushered the shy woman into a cab and sat beside her. They only had circumstantial evidence. There were a few clues he hoped to find when they arrived. Mitsuhiko paid the driver and escorted Sasaki into her building. They passed a few dozen men in coveralls, all luging tools and bags, ready to work. Mitsuhiko carefully observed them as they passed. Once they were inside, Mitsuhiko turned to Sasaki.

"Is he here?" He asked. Sasaki nodded and indicated a man already hard at work uprooting a small bush. He wore black coveralls and had a bag on the ground nearby overflowing with hand tools.

"Thank you, Sasaki," Mitsuhiko said "We'll take it from here." He quickly phoned Genta and asked when Sato would arrive.

"Sato-san is out of the building, according to Kubota. Won't be back all day." Was the answer. "I think we ought to take him in ourselves. We can hand deliver him to the precinct."

"Legally speaking, we have no rights to detain him." Mitsuhiko said "He's not a suspect and therefore we can't arrest him as citizens."

"Don't start with me, _bengoshi_ ," Genta growled.

"I'll stay here and watch him." Mitsuhiko said, "He's not getting away."

"You can't stay there all day, he'll know something is up. We'll go in shifts." Genta said. Mitsuhiko agreed and hung up.

The weather had brought cold and clouds. The forecast didn't predict rain but the air was heavy and damp. It seemed as if the whole world would be caught in a downpour any minute. Genta took the next shift, then Ayumi, then Shinichi, then Kogoro. By the afternoon, Mitsuhiko was gone again. They'd called Sato's office and cell phone several times to no avail. The four left at the office decided to have their lunch in the café downstairs. Just as they all settled into the table, Ayumi's phone rang.

"Guys! He's leaving. He must be done for the day." Mitsuhiko said in a frantic hush "Where the hell is Sato? We're going to lose him!"


End file.
